Fava beans stew with tomatoes and orange

I would not say that fava beans are the kind of dried pulses we cook often at our house but when I saw this recipe I thought it would be a nice idea to try them out in a different way. The dish was as we were hoping, a nice hearty stew with a delicious sauce to mop up with crusty bread. In Greece fava beans have been quite popular in past decades when the majority of people could not afford to have meat very often and the country was under very difficult times... So, they might have been popular out of necessity in the old days but I do know that many people really like them still nowadays. Fava beans can be quite versatile and it is a good thing that the modern Greek chefs come up with ideas such as this one because, trust me, most of the Greeks (sooner or later) will have to go back to the basics (or to learn how to) under the current circumstances.... if you know what I mean... I'm sure those who belong to older generations and they were unfortunate enough to feel what a real crisis means in the past will understand better...

Recipe of Makis Georgiadis

"BHMAgourmer" magazine from "TO BHMA" newspaper

Ingredients (for 6 people):
500gr of dried fava beans
8 tbsp of olive oil
2 yellow onions, sliced in thin rings
2 medium size ripe but firm tomatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 2 tsp of dried)
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped (optional)
salt
black pepper
1 large orange, the zest

Method:
The night before (or at least 5 hours before cooking) soak the beans in a large plastic bowl with enough water to cover.

Put in a large pot and boil in medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and peel them.

In a wide and not too deep pot warm the oil in medium-high heat. When ready add the beans and the onions and sauté for a few minutes stirring with a wooden spoon until the onions are translucent and shiny.

Add in the pot the tomatoes, the thyme, season with salt and pepper and enough water just to cover the beans (not too much, you are not making a soup).

Cover with the lid, turn the heat to medium-low and simmer the food for about 35-40 minutes, checking frequently if there is enough liquid in the pot.

Five minutes before the food is ready add the orange zest and stir gently. The food should be left only with its oil sauce and not too much liquid.

Serve immediately sprinkling on top with some fresh or dried thyme.

Notes:
If you want, you can add in the pot (while cooking) 3-4 thin slices of an orange (skin on). You can substitute the water with vegetable or beef stock.