Faves Ofegades (Braised Broad Beans)
Vicent Guimerà, chef and owner of L’Antic Molí, immediately evokes memories of his childhood when speaking about the recipes he has chosen. From baldana in the context of the traditional pig slaughtering days he experienced as a child, to the simple afternoon snack of bread and chocolate, these dishes are deeply rooted in personal and collective memory.
Baldanes and broad beans reflect an everyday cuisine built around humble, locally available ingredients, ranging from the products of the pig slaughter to comforting spoon dishes. At the same time, CREO chocolate recalls a local food industry that took ingredients from elsewhere, such as cocoa, and made them distinctly its own by incorporating rice flour to create a unique chocolate preparation.
These recipes combine contemporary techniques and textures drawn from avant-garde cuisine while preserving flavours that have endured through generations.
VIDEO RECIPE
METHOD
This reinterpretation of the traditional faves ofegades draws on the essence of slow-cooked, spoonable stews, in which the ingredients are gently simmered together over a low heat until their flavours become fully integrated and harmoniously combined.
The preparation begins with a traditional stew made with olive oil, garlic, onion and a fatty element such as cured pork belly, bacon or a similar ingredient. The broad beans, chorizo and the remaining ingredients are then added, covered with water and left to cook slowly until a richly flavoured faves ofegades stew is obtained.
Once the stew is ready, a little extra water is added to ensure that the liquid is not overly concentrated. The broad beans are then left to cool and are frozen together with their cooking liquor. During thawing, the liquid separates naturally and can be carefully strained, yielding a clarified broth of faves ofegades. This broth forms the principal element of the dish, concentrating the very essence of the traditional stew.
Separately, the chard is treated in much the same way as the chorizo. It is sautéed with onion and cured pork belly, but cooked separately so that it retains its vibrant green colour and does not become overly dark. This preparation is also placed into moulds to create regular-shaped portions that can be arranged precisely on the plate. Once formed, these pieces—some containing chorizo and others the sautéed chard—are chilled or frozen to ensure that they retain their shape.
The broad beans are also prepared separately, being peeled so that only the inner bean remains. This produces a finer, more delicate texture, enhancing the overall eating experience while allowing the natural flavour of the broad beans to take centre stage.
At the time of service, the various components are arranged on the plate: the moulded chard and pork belly preparation, the chorizo element and the broad beans. The entire composition is gently heated to ensure it reaches the table at the ideal temperature. Separately, the broad bean consommé, obtained from the clarified broth of the original stew, is warmed through. At the final moment, this hot broth is poured over the dish, bringing all the elements together and restoring the deep, integrated flavours of the traditional faves ofegades stew.
The result is a dish of faves ofegades in which all the ingredients are presented separately, while preserving the original flavour of the stew. The clarified broth takes centre stage, retaining all the depth and intensity of the traditional preparation, while the remaining elements contribute texture, richness and subtle nuances. The dish thus evokes the familiar flavours of the classic recipe, reimagined through a more contemporary presentation.
