Years ago I used to make the green bean pâté recipe out of the The Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Over time my recipe has evolved from that original as I’ve added flavors and substituted ingredients. It is still a favorite at the time of year when green beans need to be picked every other day. This pâté is wonderful on crackers and rice cakes. It is tasty in a sandwich with fresh mozzarella, or spread on top of meat or fish. You could even add a bit more olive oil and turn it into a sauce for pasta.
4 cups fresh green beans
3/4 cup walnuts or cashews
1 or 2 cloves garlic, roasted
1 cup chopped onions
2 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Put the eggs on to boil and the garlic in the oven to roast while you chop the onion. Put the olive oil in a pan and add the onion. Sauté until the onion turns a bit transparent. Add the beans to the pot along with the white wine, cover and turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir the beans every two or three minutes. Add the garlic as soon as it’s soft. Cook the beans until they are just soft but not yet mushy.
When the eggs are finished hard boiling, peel them and place the bean mixture in a food processor with the eggs, basil, parsley, crème fraîche, and nuts. Blend until it is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe is a great way to use excess green beans in a way that’s different and extremely tasty.
