Warm Fava Bean and Quinoa Salad; Cherries, Greek Yogurt, and Praliné

Some of this week’s bounty went into an Indian feast, and the next night I was in the mood for something a little more laid back.  I spent a relaxing hour shelling, blanching, and peeling fava beans, ruminating on what I would cook with them.  Quinoa seemed like a healthy, interesting alternative to my original pasta idea.  I started cooking it, and then saw a lonely spring onion in the bottom of the vegetable drawer, so I chopped it up and added it to the water.  A few minutes later I threw in the prepared fava beans and let them heat through.  When it was all cooked, I drained it and poured it into a bowl, where I tossed it with sherry vinegar and hazelnut oil.  The final touch was a healthy dose of chopped fresh mint.  It was delicious alongside some tender, juicy, lemon-glazed lamb chops.

I would have finished the whole bowl, but I wanted to save room for dessert.  I had plans for a simple, fresh, indulgent-tasting-but-not-totally-indulgent one: Greek yogurt (which I’ve decided is pretty much guilt-free crème fraîche) topped with fresh cherries and a sprinkling of crushed candied almonds and hazelnuts – aka praliné.

We washed it down with tiny glasses of aged Scotch, which married perfectly with the sweet cherries and the caramelized nuts.  Now that’s what I call dessert.

Originally published on Seasonal Market Menus.

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