baghali polo - favas, dill & rice

I had dill to use up and plentiful favas and came upon baghali polo recipe.  Seems there are many ways to make it.

Here's what I did, which was ok.  It would definitely be better with basmati rice; I used short-grain brown because that's what I had on hand.  I'm sure it's much better when made by someone Persian. 

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/baghali-polo-persian-dill-rice-with-fava-beans/ 

 https://food52.com/recipes/41908-rice-with-favas-and-dill-baghali-polo

https://www.aheadofthyme.com/baghali-polo-persian-dill-rice-with-fava-beans/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdT4KdsVnpk 

• 1.5 cup rice 
• 2 cups favas shelled and peeled as necessary 
• dill bunches (add dry as necessary), chopped 
• salt
• oil
• butter
• saffron  

Parboil the rice.  I did 15 minutes and probably should have done 30. 

Saute the favas and dill with oil and butter.  

Put a pinch of saffron in 1 cup hot water with more butter if desired. 

Layer 1/3 of rice on bottom, half favas & dill, alternate for rice on top.  Put three holes into the rice with handle of spoon, pour saffron water in and turn on heat.

Once steaming, turn down very low, put towel under lid, and cook about 50 minutes.   

fava bean pesto

 Fava bean pesto, from here.  This worked well with favas I'd frozen after shelling and peeling. 

Ingredients

• 2 lb fava beans with pods , (900 grams) or 250 grams shelled with skin on or 180 grams skin peeled (1 cup)
• ½ cup Pecorino cheese , 50 grams
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil , 110 grams
• 5-8 mint leaves
• 1 garlic clove

Instructions

• Remove beans from the pod. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop fava beans in a pot with boiling water and boil for 1 minute.

  Transfer immediately to a bowl with ice water.
• Remove the skin from each bean. Help yourself with the tip of a small knife, squeeze, and the bean will pop out.
• In a food processor blend mint leaves, pecorino cheese, and garlic clove cut into small pieces.

  Add fava beans and oil. Blend until combined.