by Cleo Coyle
Step 1—Mix and heat. In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix the Dr Pepper, brown sugar, honey, cumin, chili powder, chopped scallions, Dijon mustard, and ketchup and bring mixture to a boil.
Step 2—Reduce and simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, for three to five minutes. Now add the cornstarch a little at a time while continuing to simmer until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3—Prepare the chicken. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often. Place the browned chicken parts in a foil lined 13×9 baking pan, and pour the sauce over the chicken, coating each piece. Bake for 60–70 minutes, until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165° F. Serve immediately.
Clare Cosi’s Poor Man’s Caviar (Baklazhannaia Ikra)
Poor Man’s Caviar is a traditional Russian dish that contains no caviar or fish. So why is it called Poor Man’s Caviar? According to legend, the fishermen who harvested caviar sturgeon in Georgia, the Ukraine, and Russia were too poor to eat their catch, so they peddled the fish and concocted a savory topping for their bread using the ingredients at hand.
When Clare and Eldar dined together at the humble yet cozy Queen Catherine Café, Clare remarked how ajvar (a condiment served on her Bosnian burger) was similar to this traditional Russian delicacy. In the end, Clare suggested that Mike’s luxury-loving ex-wife give this recipe a try—for reasons more philosophical than culinary.
Makes about 4 cups
2–3 large eggplants (about 3 pounds)
1 cup olive oil (divided)
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 green or red pepper, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
6 ounces tomato paste
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt (or 2 1⁄2 teaspoons Kosher salt)
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice
Step 1—Prepare the eggplants. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork, then coat them with olive oil. Place whole eggplants on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the center of the oven until soft, about 1 hour. Place the eggplant in a colander so the juices will drain. When cool enough to work with, press the excess liquid out of the eggplants to reduce bitterness. Cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the flesh. Discard the skin and any large seeds. Chop the flesh finely, but do not puree. (You want the dish to have texture and not be the consistency of baby food.) Set aside.
Step 2—Sauté the veggies. In a large skillet over low heat, add 1⁄2 cup olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, green or red pepper, and garlic. Stirring occasionally, cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers soft, about 20 minutes. Finally add the eggplant to the onions-pepper-garlic mix, along with the tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
Step 3—Finish the dish. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. If necessary, add more olive oil to prevent sticking. When finished cooking, transfer the mixture to a heat-proof bowl and let cool. At room temperature, stir in the lemon juice. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Baklazhannaia Ikra stays fresh for up to 5 days.
Clare Cosi’s Iced Gingerbread Cookie Sticks (Edible Coffee Stirrers)
This was the very recipe Clare used to create “beanstalk” cookie sticks for the Fairy Tale Festival. Little did she know it would be Matt’s “magic beans” that would bring her Giant trouble. These cookies, on the other hand, were designed to bring joy.
At the Village Blend, Gingerbread Cookie Sticks dipped in vanilla glaze or melted chocolate make a fantastic winter treat for Clare’s customers. During holiday parties, she dresses them up by rolling the newly glazed (or chocolate-dipped) cookie sticks in a variety of garnishes, including crushed candy canes, marshmallow bits, cinnamon candy hearts, colored sprinkles, coarse finishing sugar, or even a bit of crystallized ginger.
Makes about 48 cookie sticks
21⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice (or 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves)
10 tablespoons (11⁄4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2⁄3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1⁄4 cup molasses (unsulphured, not blackstrap)
1⁄3 cup brewed coffee (or milk)
glaze and garnishes (optional)
Step 1—Assemble the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice (or cloves). Set aside.
Step 2—Make the dough. Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar; add the molasses and coffee and blend again. While continuing to beat at a low speed, slowly add in your dry ingredients, blending just enough to make a smooth dough. Do not overbeat.
Step 3—Wrap and chill. The dough will be very sticky. Form into 2 balls and flatten into disks. Wrap the two disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour; overnight is fine, too. (You can also make the dough a day or two in advance and store in the refrigerator.)
Step 4—Roll the dough. First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the chilled dough disks from the fridge and allow to warm long enough to become pliable. Place the dough between two sheets of lightly flour-dusted parchment paper. (This is a great method for rolling cookies because you will only need the lightest dusting of flour, which will keep the cookies from toughening up.)
Thickness: Roll your dough between 1⁄8 inch and 1⁄4 inch. The thinner version will create crispier cookie sticks; the thicker version will make softer sticks. Experiment with what appeals to you.
Troubleshooting: The biggest issue you’ll have in rolling this dough will be the dough’s stickiness. When finished rolling, do not remove parchment paper. Slip the flat sheet onto a pan and place the pan in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes. Once the rolled-out dough is chilled, it will firm up and easily separate from the paper.
Step 5—Cut the cookies. Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Use a pizza cutter to clean up the edges of your rectangle and slice into sticks. Do not move the sticks off the bottom parchment layer or their straight shapes will bend. Simply slip the entire sheet of parchment onto a cookie sheet.
Step 6—Bake. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. When the cookies are finished baking, you may need to recut them. Simply slide the entire sheet of parchment paper onto a cutting board or a sturdy counter surface and use your original slicing lines as a guide. (The pizza cutter will make quick work of it.) Allow the cookie sticks to cool before handling or they may break.
Step 7—Glaze or dip and garnish. Once cool, you can serve as is, dust with powdered sugar, or dip the top half of the sticks in Clare’s Vanilla Glaze (see the recipe below) or try melted chocolate (white, milk, or dark). To make the cookie sticks even more festive, roll dipped cookies in fun finishers such as crushed candy canes, marshmallow bits, pearl sugar, coarse finishing sugar, chopped nuts, crystallized ginger, colored sprinkles, or cinnamon hearts. Use an empty mug or glass to stand the sticks upright while the glaze or chocolate dries.
Clare’s Vanilla Glaze
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for a whiter glaze, use clear vanilla)
1 tablespoon milk (more or less)
In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the sifted powdered sugar, a little at a time. When all the sugar is melted into the butter, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Finally stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the glaze is the right consistency (not too thick or
thin) for dipping the cookie sticks. Once the cookie sticks are dipped, stand them upright in a mug or glass to dry. If you prefer, use a fork to drizzle the glaze over the sticks as they lie on a flat surface. Allow the glaze to cool and harden before handling. For garnishing ideas, see the last step of the Gingerbread Cookie Sticks recipe (preceding this one) and eat with fairy-tale joy!
Don’t Miss the Next Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle
Join Clare Cosi for a double shot of danger in the next Coffeehouse Mystery!
For more information about the Coffeehouse Mysteries and what’s next for Clare Cosi and her merry band of baristas, visit Cleo Coyle online at CoffeehouseMystery.com.
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