Who could forget Hannibal Lecter's description of dining on census-taker liver "with fava beans and a nice chianti?" It turns out fava beans were getting a bad rap long before Lecter included them in his disturbing menu. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras mysteriously told his followers to avoid fava beans, and even the ancient Egyptians considered them unclean. More recent notoriety comes from the labor-intensive nature of the fresh beans -- they have to be shelled, then blanched so that their tough skin can be removed. The earthy flavored beans, rich in protein and vitamins A and B are well worth the effort, but for convenience, we recommend canned favas.

Our flavorful Fava Bean Salad belongs to a roster of side dishes that usually accompany cocktails and steaks in Uruguay and Argentina. You may prefer to serve with liver and chianti.