Fava Bean and Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients

• 4 pounds fresh fava beans
• shelled (4 cups) shelled
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1 small onion
• minced
• 1 small zucchini
• halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water.
2. Blanch the fava beans in the boiling water for 1 minute.
3. Drain and transfer to the ice water to cool; drain again.
4. Using kitchen shears, snip off a small bit of skin at one end of each fava and pinch out the beans.
5. Discard the skins.
6. Preheat the broiler.
7. In a medium ovenproof skillet, melt the butter.
8. Pour half of the melted butter into a small bowl and stir in the panko.
9. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
10. Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
11. Stir in the cream, tarragon and fava beans and simmer over moderate heat until the cream is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes longer.
12. Broil the vegetables 8 inches from the heat until the crumbs are toasted, about 2 minutes.