Place the beans in a food processor. Zest the half lemon and add the zest to the beans; then juice the half and add the juice as well.
Purée still smooth.
Add all the remaining ingredients, and whiz.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in a dish as a pâté with good bread, or as a side for a salad plate.
Notes
6 oz of cooked lima beans is 1 cup or about ½ of a 15 oz / 425 g tin, drained or about ¼ pound of dried beans, cooked up. Instead of dried mint, you can use 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint.If you don't have any mint to hand but do have a bottle of mint sauce to hand, try a splash of that.