- Take an ordinary tin of butter beans and drain the liquid into a jug. Meanwhile, fry a variety of vegetables that appeal to you – and as much as you like, although probably it should be less in quantity than the beans – in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and a hefty grind of pepper.
- I fried a few slices of leek (about an inch) a couple of square inches of red pepper and ditto green, a quarter of a red onion, half a dozen yellow cherry tomatoes (I didn’t have red but they would be fine) a clove of garlic, a chilli (it wasn’t very hot – I would have liked a hotter one) and a few herbs.
- Blend the beans and cooked vegetables to a smooth paste adding as much of the drained liquor as you need to make a pleasing consistency – which is according to your taste.
- Adjust seasoning and eat.
It keeps in the fridge for a few days and the flavour develops. A nice veggie dish is pasta with mushrooms and walnuts in a creamy sauce. Lentil soup is also very nice – spiced with sweet spices such as cardamom, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon – and a little earthy cumin, according to taste. I guess this would work well with sweet potato too, or squash. When soaking beans of whatever sort, save the soaking or cooking liquor. it can add extra flavour to other soups such as all-purpose vegetable soup.
Lois Elsden 