Not day passes at Bloomfield that ceases to surprise and stun me with beauty and wonderment. Whether it's witnessing the bees visiting the wildflowers in the fields or seeing bananas growing and green on the lofty trees in the hothouse. Our medicinal tea garden is in bloom too. So lovely! It's fava bean season again and this recipe will surely celebrate my favorite Italian legume. This one uses both Bloomfield's beans and garlic!

Fava Bean and Garlic Puree

1 1/4 lb. fresh fava beans in their pod (about 1 1/4 cup shelled)

1-2 green garlic stalks ( scapes even better)

1 teaspoon fresh mint, optional

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan or pecorino

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Fine sea salt, to taste

Shell fava beans and blanch them for one minute, drain them and plunge them into a bowl of cold water. Drain them again, then remove the skin from the beans to bring their bright green core to light. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Chop coarsely a stalk green garlic. Spread all the garlic onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and sprinkle with olive oil and a bit of sea salt. Bake for 15.

Put fava beans and garlic in the food processor and pulse to chop. Add herbs and process some more, then add the cheese and process briefly. While pulsing, dribble the oil into the feeding tube, then the lemon juice. Finally, sprinkle a bit of salt and process to a smooth paste by pulsing for several seconds at a time.

Let the spread rest for 20 minutes or so, then taste and adjust seasoning (salt, lemon juice). Refrigerate until ready to use and take out of the refrigerator in advance, so that the spread in not cold when you serve it. Serve on toast or even use it in pasta like a pesto.