SUE'S VERSATILE NUT AND SEED PATE

Basic Recipe ingredients:

1 CUP MIXED NUTS (cashews, pecans, almonds etc.)

1 CUP MIXED SUNFLOWER AND PUMPKIN SEEDS

½ CUP OATS

1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL

¾ - 1 CUP WATER

VEGETABLE BOUILLON POWDER OR SOY SAUCE TO TASTE

Grind nuts, seeds and oats and mix thoroughly in a large bowl. Add olive oil and mix in well, gradually add sufficient water to bind. Flavour with bouillon powder or soy sauce. Mix well. Check consistency and, if necessary, add more water. If you find it’s a bit too liquid, add more ground oats.

Spread out in a bowl, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to ‘ferment’ for about eight hours or overnight.

Other versions

Add finely chopped onion, or nutmeg, or curry powder or garlic and freshly chopped herbs. Other possibilities - add red wine instead of water and/or a squeeze tomato puree for extra flavour.

Make up your own variations!

SERVE WITH FRESH BREAD or SPRINKLE ON SALADS.

AS A STUFFING FOR PEPPERS OR ROUND COURGETTES -

Half and seed red pepper or round courgette. Cook in boiling water until slightly soft. Drain and put in lightly-oiled dish, fill the halves with pate and pop in a medium oven for just long enough to heat the filling. Top with grated cheese for the last five minutes of cooking.

Most of my cooking is improvisation on a theme. At first I'll follow a recipe then, after I've done it a few times, I start improvising with quantities and ingredients. Of course, you have to follow instructions when making cakes etc.

Now here's a variation, or several really, suggested by Mart:

Try beans instead of nuts in your paté. Red or white, mung, chick peas or any others you think might work. Soak overnight, if necessary, cook until mashable then they're ready to use.

Toasting your ground seeds before adding gives a nuttier flavour. (you can store ground, toasted sesame in olive oil - tahini fashion)

Mix the beans and toasted seeds in a large bowl, then add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and paprika to taste. (I keep adding until I'm happy). You'll need some water to make the mix just soft enough to liquidise. Finally check the seasoning.

Leaving overnight always improves the taste and the mix will thicken quite a bit. If too much, add a bit more water.

Yummy! Thanks Mart.