They say you can’t please everyone – in Spanish, it never rains to everyone’s liking – and this year, the word “rain” brings mixed emotions after what happened in Valencia and other parts of Spain.
Rain has always been unwelcome in the city but a blessing in the countryside.
I remember seeing the weather forecasters on TV, faces apologetic and concerned whenever they announced incoming rain: “This weekend, the weather will be bad…”
Without fail, my father would challenge that statement.
As a true agronomist, he loved the rain — what he called good weather.
Would city dwellers realize just how beautiful trees look after rain?
He loved rainwater so much that he designed and constructed a natural reservoir to irrigate the olive trees with water straight from the sky…
Finally, this past March, the reservoir filled up, after laying bone dry for months and months…
And not just with water, but with wild ducks and all sorts of aquatic life.
We couldn’t be happier to be full to the brim with water, and to celebrate this rainy March, we’ve prepared a special batch of bean pâté with our Quintaesencia olive oil.
TOMATO and BEAN PÂTÉ
🌿INGREDIENTS:
- 200 g canned beans
- 50 g cashews
- 50 g sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp La Cultivada Quintaesencia EVOO
🌿PREPARATION:
- Soak the cashews and sun-dried tomatoes separately in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain the cashews, but reserve the soaking water from the tomatoes.
- In a food processor or blender, add the rinsed and drained beans and start processing. Gradually add the tomatoes, cashews, salt, cumin and paprika.
- Blend until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of the reserved tomato water if necessary. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides to ensure an even texture.
- Once you reach the desired consistency, add the EVOO and blend for a few more seconds to incorporate.
- Toast some slices of good sourdough bread and spread on your delicious pâté.
Elena Vecino
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