BEST. SOUP. EVER.

No, this is not an exaggeration: I think I made the best soup ever. Now, if you don't like fava beans or tarragon, it's possible you might disagree, but I think one sip of this soup will change your taste buds forever. Waltham Fields grows fava beans each year, and I was thrilled to see them because we used to buy them by armloads at the Berkeley Farmer's Market. However, their tough, furry pods can be intimidating if you don't know what to do with them - they are quite easy to shell, and they have a lovely, summery flavor and bright green color. Beware: they are NOT good if they are old, so if they taste funny or the pods are browning/bursting, I'd throw them away (in the compost, of course).

I hoarded our share of these for two weeks to make The Best Soup Ever, and have recreated the recipe below. There are many other ways to cook fava beans, but this was easy and made a full, sumptuous meal.

The Best Soup Ever (or, Fava Bean-Tarragon Soup):
40 fava bean pods, shucked
5 scallions, chopped into 1" pieces
3-5 cloves garlic (or a head of fresh garlic, which I had on hand!), sliced or minced
~2 T tarragon leaves (if you don't know tarragon, it has a light licorice flavor - I hate black licorice, but this is a very pleasant herb)
salt and pepper to taste
water (or chicken stock, if you have it)

Sautée the scallions until they wilt, add the garlic, fava beans, salt, pepper, and tarragon. When this mixture has begun to brown and smell fragrant, cover with water and cook until all the veggies are very soft. Blend 'til smooth and serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, a garnish of chopped chives, and homemade croutons.