Fava Bean Purée with Lemon Crème Fraîche and Speck Ham

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh fava beans (shucked from their pods), about one pound
3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
3 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup crème fraîche (can substitute sour cream)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of one lemon, minced
Salt and white pepper to taste
6 thin slices of speck ham (can also substitute prosciutto), diced or julienned

Instructions:
1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 cups of kosher salt in three quarts of water). Add the shucked fava beans and cook for 4 minutes.

2.  Drain beans and place in bowl of iced water until cool. Drain cooled beans, peel and discard the outer husks and reserve beans.

3.  In a small pot, over medium-low heat, melt half the butter and add onions, cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

4.  Add fava beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil, cook for about 4 minutes.

5.  While hot, blend in a blender in small batches (or use an immersion blender in the cooking pot), adding remaining butter while blending, until mixture is smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Strain through a fine sieve or chinois.

7.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine crème î, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and whip until stiff, about two minutes.

Presentation:
Ladle soup into six bowls and spoon one dollop, about 2 tablespoons, of crème fraîche in each bowl. Garnish with Speck ham.