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Broad bean pate with grilled fennel
Serves 4
450g/1lb shelled broad beans
25g/1oz butter
2tbls lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 fennel bulbs
olive oil
1tbls red wine vinegar
black olives
Cook the broad beans in boiling water for a few minutes until they are tender, and drain well. With your finger and thumb, pop them out of their grey skins; discard the skins. Put the beans into a food processor with the butter, lemon juice and some salt and pepper and whiz to a thick green puree. Season the mixture, put it into a bowl and cover.
Prepare the fennel by removing any tough leaves or pieces of stem, but leaving enough of the stem to hold the leaves together at the base. Cut each down first into halves, then into quarters and eighths, so that they are still joined together at the base if possible. Steam or parboil the fennel for about 8 minutes, or until it is just tender without being at all soggy. Drain well and dry with kitchen paper. Brush both fennel with oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper, then grill them until they are lightly charred on both sides: this will take about 15 minutes. Cover until required. Make a simple dressing by putting the vinegar into a screw top jar with 3 tbls olive oil and some salt and pepper and shaking well to mix.
To assemble the dish, spoon some of the pate on to four individual serving plates, add some black olives, put four pieces of grilled fennel on each plate, and spoon a little dressing on top of the pate.
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