Grilled Fava Beans with Charred Lemon and Smoked Sea Salt

I’ve spent a fair amount of time staring at fresh fava beans at the farmers market. They always get my attention, but I’m never quite sure what to do with them. 

Then, when we attended the shims and shrubs workshop that I mentioned last week, it all clicked for me. One of the bites served there was grilled baby fava beans. A little lightbulb went off in my head — oooh, you can grill them! 

When prepared this way, you eat the whole thing, the shell and the beans inside. The grilling makes the exterior tender with smoky flavor and the bean is just soft enough to eat while maintaining some texture and bite. 

You can season the beans any way you like. We still have a few lemons left on our tree in the backyard and I’ve been loving charred lemons this year. So I halved a couple and threw them on the grill with the beans until they were charred. If you have not tried lemons like this, you must! You can do the same thing in a cast iron skillet. Once blackened and warmed, the juice takes on a whole new flavor. It’s delicious as a garnish, in dressings or in cocktails. 

I finished the beans with a little smoked sea salt. (People often ask what sea salt I use. This Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt is my very favorite. I’ve used it since we lived in Kentucky.)

There are few grilled side dishes that are as simple as these fava beans. My recipe is below, but feel free to spice them up anyway you’d like. I’m thinking a little smoked paprika or chili powder would be nice, too. 

Grilled Fava Beans with Charred Lemon and Smoked Sea Salt

Makes: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

1/2 lb. fava beans (the younger, the more tender they’ll be)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved
1/4 teaspoon smoked sea salt

Prep

Preheat the grill to high heat (about 400 degrees F). 

Place the fava beans in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Toss to coat well. 

Place the beans on the grill. Place the lemon halves cut-side down on the grill. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the beans once during cooking. The beans should be blackened and slightly tender. The lemon halves should be blackened and slightly soft. 

Transfer the beans to a serving plate. Remove the lemon halves from the grill and once they are cool enough to touch, squeeze the lemon juice over the beans. Drizzle the beans with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with the salt before serving. 

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