English Field Bean Pate

Ingredients

• ½ lb english beans
• to taste pint olive oil
• to taste salt
• to taste pepper
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 tsp strong-flavoured herba

Steps

1. Soak the beans in water overnight.
2. Boil the beans in plenty of unsalted water for 1 hour until they are soft.
3. Drain the beans.
4. Mash the beans with a fork, pound them in a pestle and mortar, or press them through a sieve or food mill.
5. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs, and garlic.
6. If the purée is too stiff, add some lemon juice, water, or more oil.
7. Chill the purée.
8. Serve with toast.