When families in Mexico give up meat—either for Lent or for other reasons—they turn to soups like this one. You might have trouble finding fresh favas, though Latin markets frequently stock them, especially in spring, and I’ve even seen them at supermarkets in recent years. Their wonderful flavor has no exact match, but fresh peas are a good substitute. The best chile for this dish is the mildly hot dried chile negro; it’s best when toasted, which is an easy enough process: put the chiles in a dry, ungreased skillet over medium heat and cook, turning as each side browns, until browned and fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 pound fresh fava beans or peas or 1/2 pound split dried fava beans, soaked overnight

　　6 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock, preferably homemade (page 160 or 162), or water

　　6 garlic cloves, sliced

　　1 large onion, chopped

　　2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　3 tomatoes, cored and sliced

　　2 tablespoons cider vinegar

　　1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

　　2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

　　3 dried chiles, preferably chile negro, toasted, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

　　1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese, optional

　　

Step 1

Place the beans or peas, stock, and half the garlic and onion in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the beans are soft. If you are using dried beans, cook for at least an hour and add water if the liquid level begins to run low.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the remaining garlic and onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and oregano and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sauce in the pan is slightly thickened.

　　

Step 3

Add the tomato mixture to the beans and stir well to combine. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing some of the beans to create a somewhat smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 4

Stir in the cilantro, mint, chiles, and cheese if you like and serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.