Here in Sens, about once a month on Sundays, there is a marche brocante or flea market set up on the promenade.   The promenade is a huge green space that encircles the town center making it possible to stroll, traffic free, around the entire town.  In spring and summer, there are numerous events held on the promenade; car shows, circuses, fairs, concerts.   I would imagine that the promenade traces the old walls that enclosed the town in medieval times.   I have to ask M. Parret about that.

At the marche brocante some of the sellers pretend that they are selling antiques and I pretend with them, but I don’t buy anything.   However, most of the sellers are there to sell second hand items, some a little older than others.   Talkative and friendly, they usually can convince me that I need something.  My husband would make a snide comment here.  I really needed this old laundry soap holder today.   Really.

Fava beans.  In France, fava beans are called feve.   I had never cooked nor eaten these before but curiosity got the better of me and I bought some yesterday in the Saturday market to try.

First, I wanted to find out if there was a word for feve in English.   Well, duh, it was fava which I had only heard about but never really focused on.  Then, I wanted to cook the beans using the French method since the French seem to like and be familiar with this legume; the market is full of them.

I watched both an American video and a French video on fava bean preparation.   It seems the difference is that the American chef, after removing the beans from the pod, boiled the beans in order to remove the outer bean skin.  The French chef just peeled it off.  Body snatched again, I went with the French method.

And ended up with this.

Fava Beans a la Francaise

2lbs of fava bean pods

1/2 cup of smoked bacon, cut in small thin strips

1 large onion, chopped

1 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper

1 tsp of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of water

Parsley

Remove the beans from the pod, then peel the outer skin from the bean (see above).   Saute the bacon in a pan until slightly crisp.   Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain.

In the same pan, add the butter and cook the onions until soft.  Then add the fava beans and saute for about 1 minute.   Put the bacon back into the pan with the water and vinegar. Salt and pepper.  Cover and steam for 15 minutes.   Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

I found chicken wings at the other supermarket, Leclerc.   To see the recipe for these, go back to http://atomic-temporary-17826715.wpcomstaging.com/2011/02/06/honey-mustard-fried-chicken-with-japanese-potato-salad/