Lima Bean Pate

by Shauna Sever — April 7, 2008

I know what you're thinking--lima beans? Seriously? Even the most dedicated foodie can easily turn down these unusually textured beans. It probably has a lot to do with the mushy specimens we were served as kids. But have you had fresh lima beans, pureed into a sophisticated pate with fragrant herbs, lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil, slathered on a slice of grilled country bread? I hadn't either, until I had dinner at a friend's house recently and she pulled one over on me--after three helpings of this luxurious green spread that absolutely screamed of spring flavors, I asked her what was in it and, well...I will never think of lima beans the same way again.

Lima Bean Pate

This pate is great served with crackers or grilled bread slices, and brings a spring-like kick to sandwiches. To save time, you can buy frozen lima beans and defrost them, they'll be ready to use without any cooking time and you can skip the first step.

2 cups water
2 cups fresh lima beans (about 10 ounces total)
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
1/4 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, washed and dried
2 tablespoons whole or low-fat buttermilk or sour cream
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Boil the beans until just tender in salted water, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water for about 2 minutes to cool. Drain well and pat the beans dry with paper towels.

Place the beans and all the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process to a smooth, thick puree, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Season the paté to taste with salt and pepper and transfer it from the processor to a small bowl or plastic container. Keeps for up to 3 days tightly covered and refrigerated.