Once Upon a Grind (42 page)

The Village Blend's Silver Dollar Chocolate Chip Cookies

The crispy edges and chewy center of these thin cookies combined with their little silver dollar size and rich flavor notes of buttery caramel with sea salt make for a light yet blissfully satisfying snack, perfect when sharing afternoon coffee breaks or late-night secrets. The latter is why Clare Cosi chose to serve these to her new friend Wilson, the man with the mysterious business card and shocking story of a cold case Cold War murder.

Makes about 75 mini cookies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

¹
⁄
₂
cup white granulated sugar

³
⁄
₄
cup light brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons brewed coffee or espresso (or milk)

1 large egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups all-purpose flour

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarse sea salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (or standard chips chopped small)

Step 1—Mix the dough.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Do not brown or burn. Allow to cool a bit and transfer to a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend in the white and brown sugars, coffee, egg, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour and blend again, but do not overmix. The dough will be loose and sticky. Gently fold in the mini chips. (For the small cookie size to work, be sure to use
mini
chips or chop standard chips into bits.)

Step 2—Bake.
Preheat the oven well to 375°F. Drop dough by
half-teaspoons
onto an ungreased or lined cookie sheet. Be sure to allow room between cookies for spreading. For these small cookies, only bake 6 to 6
¹
⁄
₂
minutes. The cookies should come out of the oven a little
unbaked
. Allow the cookies to continue cooking and cooling on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes before handling. The cooler they get, the crisper the edges become!

Clare Cosi's Insanely Easy Peanut Butter Chews

These cookies are out of this world. As Matt Allegro can attest (and he would know), they are “dangerously addictive.” Thin and crispy yet chewy and full of mouthwatering flavor, they take the typical peanut butter cookie to a whole new level of sophistication, yet they're easy to make, using just one bowl and a single fork. Clare Cosi developed the recipe during her years raising her daughter, Joy, in New Jersey, when she wrote the “In the Kitchen with Clare” column for a local paper. Now her Greenwich Village coffeehouse customers love them, and Clare hopes you will, too.

Makes about 2 dozen large cookies

1 large egg

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon baking soda

¹
⁄
₂
cup peanut butter

³
⁄
₄
cup white granulated sugar

Break the egg into a bowl and whisk well with a fork. Whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and baking soda. Measure in the peanut butter and sugar, and whisk well with a fork until completely blended and smooth. The mixture will be very loose. For big coffeehouse-style cookies, drop by large spoonfuls into mounds on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow plenty of room for spreading. Bake in a well-preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 14 minutes (the time will depend on your oven). The cookies will spread and puff up, but sink down as they cool into chewy, delightful treats. Be careful
not to scorch the bottoms
of these babies or they will taste terrible. To test for doneness, take a spatula and remove one cookie from the oven. Gently flip it onto a paper towel and check the bottom. If it is golden brown, the cookies are done! Otherwise, continue to cook for another few minutes and check again.

Clare's Coffeehouse Caramel-Dipped Hazelnut Meltaways

It's no wonder Detective Mike Quinn flipped for these. The cookies marry the joy of tender, meltaway shortbread with the buttery sweetness of caramel and the crunchy earthiness of hazelnuts. Caramel and hazelnut are two of the most popular flavors for coffeehouse lattes, which is how Clare came to develop this recipe. Alas, her cupboard was bare the night Mike pined for these, but she came up with ingredients for another dessert that evening. If you'd like to sample the dessert Mike and Clare made, turn to the next recipe.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on thickness

1 cup (2 sticks) unsweetened butter, softened to room temperature

¹
⁄
₂
cup powdered sugar

¹
⁄
₄
cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 large egg (separated)

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon baking powder

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon table salt

2
¹
⁄
₄
cups all-purpose flour

For Dipping

25 soft caramels or 1 cup Caramel Bits

1 tablespoon hazelnut milk or half-and-half

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Step 1—Make the dough.
Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, powdered sugar, and brown sugar. Add the egg yolk (save the white for the next step) and blend until smooth. Add the baking powder and salt and beat again until incorporated. Finally, add the flour and mix on low speed until blended. Use your hands to squeeze together dough pieces. Knead a little, working with the dough until it is smooth and form it into a ball. Turn the dough onto a parchment paper–covered surface and shape it into a thick, long log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in the parchment paper, using the paper to finish shaping and smoothing the log. Chill the wrapped log in the fridge for at least 1 hour. If you are going to chill it longer (overnight or up to 2 days), wrap the log tightly in plastic to keep it from drying out.

Step 2—Bake.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough log into thin cookies. Brush the tops lightly with the egg white you saved. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The centers should still be creamy and the edges golden brown. The cookies are tender when warm. Allow to cool before handling or dipping.

Step 3—Dip the cookies in caramel and nuts.
Place the finely chopped hazelnuts into a shallow bowl and set aside. Place the unwrapped caramel candies (or Caramel Bits) and hazelnut milk (or half-and-half) in a nonstick saucepan. Continually stir over low heat until the candies melt. If the melted caramels are still too thick for dipping, add in a bit more milk or half-and-half. When the consistency is right, turn heat to low. Gently dip half of each cooled cookie into the saucepan of melted caramels, allowing excess caramel to drain off. Now dip each cookie into your bowl of chopped hazelnuts. Gently rest on a wax-paper-lined pan until set and eat with joy!

Clare's Easy Almond Milk Custard (With or Without Roasted Blueberries)

“The proof really is in the pudding,” Detective Mike Quinn told Clare after flipping for this amazing custard. The long night they spent together was fraught with dangers and difficulties. Even on the foodie front, Mike was distraught to find cupboards in Clare's duplex as bare as Mother Hubbard's. Good thing Clare is a kitchen witch. After pointing out a few meager ingredients, she guided Mike through the incredibly easy process of making this delicious homemade custard. Now she'll guide you.

Sweet, smooth, and silky, this custard can be served warm on a cold night—or chilled for a refreshingly cold summer dessert. Roasted blueberries make an elegant addition to both warm and cold versions, and Clare's instructions for adding them can be found at the end of this recipe.

Makes 4 servings

¹
⁄
₄
cup white granulated sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon kosher salt (or generous pinch of table salt)

2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or any nut milk or low-fat cow's milk)

3 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

(See roasted blueberries option at the end of this recipe.)

Step 1—Mix the custard liquid.
First note that you are
not
cooking in this step. At the bottom of a nonstick saucepan (
off
the heat!), stir together these dry ingredients: sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and salt. Now slowly add the milk, whisking to prevent any lumps from forming. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks to the milk in your saucepan. (Do not add the vanilla yet!)

Step 2—Cook the custard.
Place your saucepan over medium heat;
do not boil.
Bring the mixture to a
simmer
and begin to stir and cook for about 10 minutes. You are watching for the mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow this hot mixture to cool off for 10 minutes, until lukewarm (to prevent breaking glassware). Divide the mixture up into 4 serving containers. Clare suggests stemless wineglasses. Serve warm or chilled. To chill, cover tops with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Chill until set, about 2 hours, and serve with or without whipped cream.

How to add roasted blueberries:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Spread 1 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen) and roast for 15 minutes. You're watching for the blueberries to swell—and for some to burst (that's okay). Remove from oven and divide among the 4 serving containers. Ideally, if you'd like roasted blueberries with your custard, start with this step, divide the blueberries among the containers, and then pour in the warm custard. Serve warm, as is, or chill and serve cold. Both versions are absolutely delicious—may you eat with joy!

The Village Blend's Corn Muffins with Caramelized Bacon

The day Matt surprised Clare by opening the shop for her—and letting her enjoy a rare few hours of extra sleep—he brought her this muffin for breakfast. The shop routinely sells out of these by midmorning, and it's no wonder. They make a fast, tasty breakfast for workers on the go. They're great with coffee, and the muffin batter can be stirred together quickly in one bowl. The only issue you may have is whether or not to include sugar.

In the not-too-distant past, throngs of New York office workers ordered corn muffins for breakfast at corner delis. The muffins were split, buttered, and lightly toasted on a short-order grill. As a morning pastry, enjoyed with a fresh cup of coffee, they were baked on the sweet side. On the other hand, you may prefer your corn muffins with little or no sugar. If so, simply reduce or omit the sugar in this recipe. Either way, these muffins are a wicked good breakfast treat.

Makes 12 muffins

For the Caramelized Bacon

6 slices maple or smoked bacon (if using thick sliced bacon, reduce to 4 slices)

6 teaspoons light brown sugar

For the Corn Muffins

2 large eggs

³
⁄
₄
cup milk (whole, or 2%)

¹
⁄
₂
cup sour cream (regular, not low fat)

¹
⁄
₂
to
³
⁄
₄
cup white granulated sugar (or to your taste)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon table salt)

5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil (see my note below*)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon baking soda

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups all-purpose flour

³
⁄
₄
cup yellow cornmeal

* If you like, use bacon grease in place of all or some of the oil

Step 1—Make the caramelized bacon bits.
First preheat the oven to 350°F. Using kitchen shears, cut 6 slices of bacon into small pieces. Sauté until half-cooked—still soft and flexible with the fat just beginning to change color. Drain the fat. Add the light brown sugar (1 teaspoon for each slice of bacon). Continue stirring and cooking until the bacon bits are cooked through. Transfer to a flat surface to cool and break up any clumps into a single layer.

Step 2—Mix the batter using the one-bowl method.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, sour cream, sugar, salt, and oil. Next whisk in the baking soda and baking powder. Now measure in the flour and cornmeal. Switching to a spoon or spatula, stir well to create a lumpy batter. All visible flour should be incorporated, but do not overmix or you will develop the gluten in the flour and your muffins may bake up tough instead of tender. Finally, fold in the caramelized bacon bits you made in Step 1.

Step 3—Bake.
Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray or insert paper liners. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 to 20 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove from the oven. (Tip: When baked muffins remain in their hot pans, the bottoms may become tough so be sure to remove the muffins from their pans fairly quickly.)

New York “Hot Dog” Onions à la the Papaya King

On the night of the Central Park Festival, Clare and Mike enjoyed a late-night bite at a humble hot dog stand, and Clare expressed her love of New York Onions, a sweet-and-savory relish that's delicious on hot dogs and hamburgers.

For decades, these onions have been part of the city's hot dog–eating tradition. At one time, almost every vendor had his own recipe. This is the one Clare makes at home, and it's very close to what you
once
found at New York's hot dog carts and stands, including the still-standing Papaya King's hot dog “palace” on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Alas, the quality of this condiment now varies widely in the city from good to . . . not so great. Likewise, the jarred version of these onions (that you may see on store shelves) is nowhere near the delicious quality of a freshly made sauce, so buyer beware—and consider making your own!

Makes about 2
¹
⁄
₂
cups

2 teaspoons olive oil

5 large red onions, sliced thin and chopped fine

1 (11-ounce) can vegetable juice (V8)

¹
⁄
₂
cup water

1 teaspoon ketchup

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon white granulated sugar

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cornstarch

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Step 1—Sauté the onions.
In a medium-sized pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and let the onions sauté slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

Step 2—Start the simmer
. Add the vegetable juice, water, tomato sauce, spices, and vinegar and cook the mixture over low heat for 1
¹
⁄
₂
hours, stirring often and making sure nothing sticks to the side of the pot.

Step 3
—
Serve.
The perfect sweet-spicy garnish for hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, or crackers. New York onions are traditionally served hot, but they are just delicious at room temperature.