Lentil paste
This Mediterranean-inspired recipe is perfect for an aperitif with sourdough bread or as an accompaniment to an herb salad.
For 6-8 people:
- 4 large parsley stalks, finely chopped
- 80 g Piccole Verdi lentils from Sicily
- 2 bay leaves
- 400 ml water
Soak the lentils overnight.
Bring the lentils, parsley stalks, bay leaves and water to the boil in a small pan. Simmer until the lentils are cooked through, stirring occasionally. The water will be completely absorbed. The pot will then contain a thick lentil pulp, from which the bay leaves can now be removed. Put to one side.
- 1 tbsp butter
- 80 g shallot, finely chopped
- 80 g celery, in small cubes
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp thyme from Sicily
- 1 clove from Kerala
- 2 bay leaves
- 150 ml white wine
- 150 ml water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable stock powder
- 3 tbsp sherry
- 60 g butter
- Pepper from Kerala
- Salt or soy sauce
Slowly fry the shallot and celery in the butter. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add the thyme, cloves and bay leaves to the pan and deglaze with white wine. When the white wine boils, pour in the water and vinegar. Turn up the heat and reduce the liquid until there is almost nothing left. Stir in the marjoram and stock powder, pour in the sherry. Cook until the liquid has almost evaporated.
Stir in the lentils and heat for two minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the cloves and bay leaves and leave to stand for five minutes. Then puree to a smooth mixture using a hand blender or cutter. Stir the butter into the warm lentil puree, piece by piece. Season to taste with pepper and salt or soy sauce. Pour the paté into a bowl or small serving dishes.
Serve with a piece of sourdough bread or with a salad.
