Have a final fling with these great tasting treats to chase away the January blues, writes Domini Kemp
MY FIRST RESOLUTION for 2009 will be to stop procrastinating. And my second resolution will be that all new resolutions will start on Monday. Not today, because despite the best of intentions, I'm not ready to be good. But I am working on it.
Next week, I promise to start a series of recipes with clean, easy flavours and the lightest of workloads. Until then, I've got two more evil little recipes for your last few days of splurging and eating. I feel that I have neglected the juniors somewhat, because of all the turkey malarkey in recent weeks, so I am putting forward a cookie recipe. But don't worry: grown-ups will also enjoy them.
There's something a bit depressing about being good and resisting all temptation. Once I am over the initial hump of the first few days, I start to become a bit aggravating about being so restrained. My pal, Caroline, becomes extra tetchy around this time of year and point-blank refuses to call over for fear that I'll serve her "hideous" herbal teas and boiled brown rice. She'll accept an invitation only if I promise to give her a glass of wine, which is, of course, out of the question in January. Never mind. New Year's resolutions can also mean new friends who will be supportive of these short-lived compulsions, though I think I say that every year, and Caroline's still my best friend.
It's just that everywhere I go these days I see walkers and joggers, arms flailing, puffing and panting in co-ordinated sports gear And although I long to be stylish in lycra, it never happens. No matter how hard I try to achieve that sporty look, I always end up looking like some sort of hideous chav. My logic trickles down to one easy excuse: my sartorial failings are a good reason not to start the detox diet. There's no point in looking the part and not talking the walk, or something like that.
For those of you who are ready to kickstart the new year with the steely determination of a clamper looking at cars in a clearway, then all I can say is, good for you. I'm not even going to try to beat you, but I promise to join you next week.
Peanut butter cookies
(makes about 20)
150g unsalted peanuts
100g butter
120ml olive oil
6 tbsp smooth peanut butter
110g soft brown sugar
1 egg
2tsp vanilla extract
225g caster sugar
275g flour
Pinch salt
1 tsp baking soda
Handful dark chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat an oven to 180 degrees/gas four. Toast the peanuts for a few minutes in the oven, being careful they don't burn. Lightly chop them and set aside. Lightly butter two baking trays. Beat the butter, olive oil, peanut butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until it is well blended. Add the egg, vanilla, sugar and keep beating. Don't worry if it looks like it's going to curdle. Add a spoon of flour and it'll be grand. Fold in the flour, salt and baking soda. Then fold in the peanuts. If you are adding choc chips, do so now. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of cookie mix on to the baking sheet. Dip the spoon in water if the mixture starts to stick too much. Or dip your fingers in water to help place the blobs of cookie dough well spaced apart on the baking trays. Bake for 20 minutes until they are golden. Cool on a wire rack until crisp.
Butternut squash tarts
I made small ones for the photo, but you could make four medium sized ones to serve as a starter, or light supper dish. If you're not keen on blue cheese or sage, add whatever you fancy.
1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
1 butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 head of garlic
2 onions, peeled and chopped
Bunch of sage leaves, roughly chopped
125g Parmesan cheese
100g blue cheese
Preheat an oven to 180 degrees/gas four. Cut the squash in half, lengthways and scoop out the seeds and fibrous bits using a spoon. Put the squash on a baking tray or roasting tin, drizzle the flesh with olive oil and season well.
Separate the cloves of garlic, but don't peel them. Place them in two piles on the baking tray. Cover each pile of garlic with the squash (flesh side down). Pour a bit more olive oil on top of the tough skin, season again and bake for about an hour, or until the squash is tender.
Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil and sweat the onions until they are soft. Add the sage. When the squash is cool enough to handle, add the scooped out squash, and the garlic, squeezed from its skins, to the onions. Mix well, then remove from the heat and add the Parmesan. Mash it with either a fork or a potato masher, but don't make it too mushy. Add the blue cheese, mix well and check the seasoning. Allow this to cool fully before spreading it on to the pastry, unless you're going to cook them immediately as the pastry will go a bit soggy with the warm filling.
Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into small rounds or squares. Prick the base with a fork, spread some of the squash mixture on top, leaving a border which you can brush with a little beaten egg (if you like) and bake for about 25 minutes until the tarts are puffed up and golden brown. Serve with a light salad. dkemp@irishtimes.com