The meaty flavor of the fresh fava beans marries well with the spicy heat of the jalapeno chilies.
Ingredients:
4 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint
1 teaspoon pepper
1 package wonton wrappers
4 jalapeno chilies, seeded, and thinly sliced
oil for light frying (See # 5 below if you want to steam the wontons)
Directions:
1. Place the fava beans in a saucepan and add water to cover and add the salt. Bring to a boil and cook until very tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water to halt the cooking. Using the tip of a knife, slit the skin surrounding each bean and slip it off. Transfer the peeled beans to a food processor or blender. Add cream, mint, and pepper and puree until smooth.
2. Lay a wonton wrapper on a flat surface and place 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the center. Top with a jalapeno slice. Dip a finger in cold water and run a bead of moisture around the edge of the wrapper. Fold into a triangle and press the edges to seal. Repeat until all the puree is used, placing the filled wontons on a piece of wax paper (leftover wonton wrapper a can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks).
3. Pour oil into a wok or deep saucepan to a depth of 4 inches. Heat oil to 350 degrees on a deep-fat frying thermometer. When the oil is hot, add a few wontons and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain; keep warm. Fry the remaining wontons in the same manner.
4. Transfer the wontons to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.
5. If you don’t want to fry the wontons, you can steam them either in a bamboo steamer or a basket steamer. Place the wontons in the steamer with water in the bottom, cover and stem on medium-high heat until the wontons are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Makes 24 wontons – serves 6-8