2 or 3 pounds fava beans

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 leeks*

2 or 3 stalks green garlic*

2 cups vegetable broth

1 lemon

Salt and pepper

Boil some water. While waiting for water to boil, remove fava beans from their pods. When water is boiling, add favas for three minutes. Strain, and run cold water over them. Put each bean between your fingers and squeeze gently, to remove fava from its shell.

Chop dark green tops off leeks. Chop off the bottom, cut lengthwise, and wash carefully to get rid of any dirt. Chop remaining light green and white parts into slices about half inch thick.

Chop the bottom off the green garlic, as well as the darkest green part. Finely chop the rest.

Coat bottom of a medium-sized saucepan with olive oil. When hot, add green garlic and leeks. Add a good shake of sea salt. Saute about 10 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Then add broth and fava beans. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and cover, for about 10 minutes.

Turn off heat. Allow soup to cool a bit, and then either put it into a blender, or use an immersion blender. (I highly recommend this, if you don’t have one!) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over each one.

Regular garlic and onions can be substituted for green garlic and leeks.

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