Look around my blog, and you will see that I am a big fan of pulses, legumes, and beans. For those following a plant-based diet, they are an ideal source of nutrition. They are very versatile ingredients to be creative with. Please check out my daal recipes. They are also suitable for dips, spreads and pâté. You will find plenty of excellent chickpea hummus recipes around the web. I've gone for the slightly more unusual on my blog: I have made a black-eye pea hummus, and here I give you a borlotti bean pâté.
In this vegan pâté, the purple-flecked borlotti beans are the star of the show. Also known as Cranberry bean, I grew borlotti beans this summer in my vegetable patch. The harvest was more than I could manage to consume fresh, so I dried a load of them, and the idea came to me to make a vegan pâté - an ideal quick snack you can eat with crackers, bread or even vegetable crudites.
The borlotti bean originates in South America and is a popular ingredient in Italy and Portugal, but not so widely used here in the UK. With this recipe, I shine a light on this humble bean! It is an excellent source of protein and fibre.
Need something to scoop up this borlotti bean pâté? Why not make my buckwheat crackers?
Ingredients
- Dried Borlotti beans
- Garlic
- Vegan cream cheese
- Vegan block butter
- Lemon juice
- Flaky sea salt
- Black pepper
- Fresh parsley
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Soak the bortolli beans overnight.
The following day, rinse and boil the bortolli beans, covered, for about 20 minutes until soft and they break when pressed between your fingers.
Add the bortolli beans, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, vegan butter and cream cheese to a blender and blend into a smooth puree. If required, add a couple of tablespoons of the bean water.
Once you have a smooth puree add the chopped parsley and briefly blend, transfer into ramekins or bowls and chill for a couple of hours. Before serving, leave it out from the fridge for 10 minutes to bring it to room temperature. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.
Substitutions
I grew my borlotti beans - If you have the space, give it a go, they are easy to grow. You can, of course, use tinned borlotti beans.
If you are not vegan, you can replace the vegan cream cheese and vegan block butter with dairy cream cheese and butter.
Variations
Borlotti beans, like most beans, can also be used together with tahini to create a hummous-like dip.
Equipment
You will need a good blender or food processor, or else you will need a lot of water. Adding too much water will result in a runny pâté, which will not set well.
Storage
You can store this pâté in the fridge, covered, for about three days.
Top tip
Ensure the borlotti beans are slightly overcooked, as this will result in a smooth pâté.
FAQ
I always soak my beans and pulses, usually overnight, as soaking them reduces the time it takes to cook. It also helps to reduce gas-causing compounds.
📖 Recipe
Borlotti Bean Pâté
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Blender or Food processor
Ingredients
- 125 g Dried Borlotti beans
- 1 clove Garlic about 5 gms
- 20 g Vegan butter cut into small cubes
- 50 g Vegan cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon Flaky sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Soak the bortolli beans overnight. The following day, rinse and boil the bortolli beans, covered, for about 20 minutes until soft and they break when pressed between your fingers.
- Drain the bean water and keep.
- Add the bortolli beans, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, vegan butter and cream cheese to a blender and blend into a smooth puree. If required, add a couple of tablespoons of the bean water.
- Once you have a smooth puree add the chopped parsley and briefly blend.
- Transfer into ramekins or bowls and chill for a couple of hours before serving.
- Before serving, leave it out from the fridge for 10 minutes or so to bring it to room temperature. serve with crackers of toasted bread.
Nutrition
Food Safety
In a professional kitchen, food hygiene and safety are top priorities, and from the beginning of my training, I practised good habits and routines. Here are some fundamental practices to adopt in the kitchen at home.
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food.
- Wipe down countertops and high-contact points regularly.
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours).
- Store food correctly.
For more details regarding food hygiene and safety in the home, visit the UK Government's Food Standards Agency webpage.
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