Valentines or Anytime BeetBean Pate
I started todays post and decided I was talking too much (my husband actually said that to me the other day when I was chanting my shopping list ‘paprika, porridge, potatoes, peas’ but at least he remembered they started with ‘P’ as I got ‘potatoes and peppers’ 😛 ). Anyway, the previous post I started will now be tomorrows but I still have SO many exciting things to share such as last nights dinner – a DEGF take on spanakopita, or something for the children – potato gnocchi, the crispiest potato skins and the rest of the Valentines menu! AND… another award!!! Jennie at VeganMiow nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award (THANK YOU) and I “will” get around to answering it soon! So, as it is Friday and you might be shopping over the weekend I thought I should start my Valentines menu! A valentines beetroot fact for you… beetroot contains healthy nitrates which convert to nitric acid which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and boost stamina!!! 🙂 … all that hard work making the perfect meal of course (what were you thinking 😛 )! Anyway… this beetbean pate is fantastic any day (and took ages to perfect) and you don’t have to make cute <3 shapes with it!
Gather
- 120g white beans (cannellini)
- 30g fresh raw beetroot chunked
- 2 cherry tomatoes halved
- 20ml water
- 1/2 small lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic
- 1/3 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- Fresh mint to decorate
- Dipping bits to serve or drizzle (I used cucumber, olive oil & balsamic)
Prepare
- Put the beans, beetroot, tomato, water and lime juice in a food processor and blitz until you have a very smooth paste.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and process until combined. Do a taste check and adjust seasoning.
- Scoop out and depending whether you’re feeling romantic! either put into one large ramekin and serve with dipping ingredients or push the pate into cookie cutters to make <3 shapes and press out carefully then serve with heart shaped cucumber.
Serve
- This can be made in advance and stored covered in the fridge until required.
- Dare to share? Make one large pate (or several small hearts) and eat together for a more romantic dish.
- Serve each person their own portion and share the dippings.
- Serve with crudités (raw vegetable sticks), artisan bread (if you eat bread) or just simply with cucumber.
- OMGosh…even my son ate this beetroot and said “I actually liked that!”
