This is just one of those combinations of flavors that works really well. If you don’t have artichoke hearts, make the dish without them. It will still taste fine. If you do not have Desiree potatoes, use another waxy fleshed potato.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Desiree potatoes, cut into 3/8ths inch to ½ inch dice (203 medium potatoes, peeled) 1-2 cups fava beans, shelled, blanched 1 minute and peeled 1-2 cups artichoke hearts –Optional (Frozen or jarred are fine. If frozen, defrost before use. For jarred, give a rinse, unless they are marinated, in which case drain well.) 1 medium onion, cut into ¼ inch dice 1-2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup white wine 2 cups vegetable stock (water will do if you do not have stock) 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano, or combination Olive oil as needed Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
Fill a large sauté pan with hot water and bring to a boil over high heat. Salt well and when the water is boiling, add the potatoes. Cook just long enough to render them just tender-the tip of a sharp thin knife should just penetrate the side of a piece of potato. Immediately drain the potatoes and immerse in cold water, running the water to cool them, or immerse in an ice bath. Drain well as soon as the potatoes are cooled.
Once drained, toss the potatoes with olive oil to coat.
Return the pan to the heat and turn down to medium-low.
Film the pan with oil, and when hot, add the potato cubes. Season with salt and pepper, and cook to crisp each side, turning as needed to get each surface and avoid burning. When done, remove from the heat and keep warm until time to combine with the rest of the dish.
While the water is heating up for the potatoes, heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, and when hot film with olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions to the pan and sauté gently to soften. When soft and aromatic, add the garlic and cook gently to soften. Add a pinch of the herbs and stir in.
Add the artichoke hearts and cook gently for five minutes, adding oil if needed to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the fava beans, stir to mix in, and turn the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Bring the wine to a simmer and reduce by 80%. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Gently stir and simmer until the favas are tender, 5-10 minutes (more if the favas are more mature).
When the favas are tender and still bright green, remove them with the artichokes to a bowl. Cook the liquid down until it is thickening and there is about a half cup left. Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil, stirring well to blend it in. Add the rest of the herbs.
Add back the favas and artichokes, toss to coat, and pour this over the reserved potatoes (Which should still be warm.), gently stirring to mix in.
Serve hot.
Chef’s notes:
Cooking the potatoes separate from the other vegetables allows them to retain their shape better and be crispier on the outside. The potato flavor will stand out a bit more as well. If you wish, you could blanch the potatoes, then sauté them with the onions and then cook the rest of the dish in the pan with the potatoes. You will get some potatoes falling apart or sort of melting, but they will be infused with the flavors of the rest of the vegetables. You may need more liquid than is given here as the spuds may absorb it. Be sure to use gentle heat.
For a nice variation, add a little sherry or wine vinegar to the dish before adding the wine and cooking it down by 90%, and then proceed. Add some smoked paprika, either to the potatoes while they are crisping up, or to the favas and artichokes just before adding the stock.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew Cohen
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
