Leek Soup – Dina Avila, Photographer

Oh the farmer’s market, you temptress you. I spent last Saturday morning at the Hollywood market with Chef Aaron Woo of Portland’s Natural Selection. Super cool guy and one hell of a market.  That was my first time at the Hollywood farmer’s market and you better believe I’ll be going back. Not too small, not too big. Bustling and alive with neighborhood folks and amazing produce.

As I followed Chef Woo around the market with my camera I spied a basket of late summer fava beans in a tiny little booth overflowing with veggies. Oh man. After our shoot I bee-lined it back to the favas and stuffed my bag to the top as the Latino farmer running the booth grinned ear to ear. I need to go back and pay him another visit. I just love tiny family farms.

Fava beans, kale, fennel, tomatoes, basil, cilantro, cucumber, a bursting sack of mixed greens…and a bushel of lavender, because I just couldn’t resist.

Hey, some ladies go crazy at the shoe store.

Cheers!

I’d also like to thank Bon Appetit for featuring my Black and White Quinoa Photo on their blog! I am so honored to be in the presence of and share space with such food photography greats as Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. You guys rock!

Late Summer Fava Beans with Roasted Tomato and Fennel

What you’ll need~

About 8 smallish tomatoes, halved

One fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved and chopped

Fava Beans, 25-30 pods, shelled

1 shallot, thinly sliced

Olive Oil

A handful of torn basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fennel Pollen, optional

Dried culinary lavender, optional

For the Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350

Drizzle olive oil in a baking dish and place tomatoes cut side up in the dish.

Drizzle a bit more olive oil on the tomatoes and dust with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 1 hour until the skin is wrinkled and the bottoms are beginning to brown.

Set aside.

For the Fava Beans

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it just begins to shimmer. Toss in fava beans and fennel and sauté until the fennel starts to soften and the smaller fava beans begin to burst through their skin.

Add the shallots and sauté until softened and just beginning to caramelize.

Add the basil and cook until it is just barely wilted.

Add the fava been mix to the roasted tomatoes and stir to combine.

Serve warm with a dusting of fennel pollen, fennel fronds and lavender buds.