What's for Dinner?

This vegetarian dish is so good even meat lovers will ask for seconds.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8-10 Krinos artichoke hearts, soaked in cold water for one hour
1/3 cup Krinos olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped scallions
1 medium fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled and rinsed or 10 ounces frozen lima beans, thawed
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup chopped fresh dill
Salt and a dash of white pepper

Sauce:
1/4 cup Krinos olive oil
5 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Strained fresh juice of 1 lemon
1/2-1 teaspoon sugar
1 to 1-1/2 cups water
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Steep the artichoke hearts in water for 1 hour. Heat the olive oil in a stewing pot and sauté the scallions, fennel and garlic. Add the fava beans and toss to coat. Add lemon juice and enough water to coat the beans, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add the artichokes to the pot, and continue simmering another 20 minutes, until tender. Add water if necessary. Five minutes before removing from heat, add dill and season with salt and white pepper.

Make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a separate saucepan and when it begins to bubble, add the flour. Whisk quickly until the mixture is like a thick paste and changes color slightly. Add lemon juice, sugar, pan liquids from the artichokes and fava beans and a little water. Whisk the sauce until thick and creamy, about 7 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables and serve.