< PreviousHerbivores, Carnivores, Omnivores Join us for LUNCH EATcetera is a Local Family Eatery serving a variety of salads, sandwiches, paninis, burgers, and desserts. Dine inside or enjoy the dog-friendly sidewalk cafe under our signature red umbrellas. At EATcetera we like to say, Everyone Eats Together. A multitide of vegan and gluten-free offerings available. Dessert too! Call 409-762-0803 See us on DoorDash.com 408 25th Street Open Monday-Saturday, 11 am - 4 pm Special Event Venue EATcetera offers an elegant space for up to 32 seated guests for private events. This is the perfect island spot for your private dinner, party or event. The restaurant and sidewalk café are totally private and reserved just for your celebration. Call 409-762-0803 or 409-939-9403 Stuffed Pablano with Black Bean & Corn CreamPurchasesponsorships andticketsonlineat www.galvestonhumane.org orcall(409)740-1919 ARTOFPAWS Sunday,September25,2022 11:30am-3:30pm GalvestonIslandConventionCenter THE abrunchhonoring MaureenMcCutchen GalvestonIslandHumaneSociety 6814Broadway Galveston,TX7755432 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 SEASIDE SOIRÉE BON TEMPS BRUNCH Gather friends on a lazy Sunday and serve this Creole-inspired menu recipes and photos by ALICIA CAHILL W e asked island foodie Alicia Cahill to whip up the perfect coastal brunch. She deliv- ered with this New Orleans-inspired menu. Add some smooth jazz and good friends, and you have the recipe for a perfect Sunday gathering. MINI CRAWFISH PIES Makes: 24 (3-inch) pies For the crust: 1 cup chilled, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup cornmeal ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons ice water For the filling: ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ yellow onion, diced 3 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced 4 ribs celery, diced 1 pound crawfish tails (thawed and drained, if frozen) 4 garlic cloves, minced 1½ cups heavy whipping cream ¼ cup finely chopped, stemmed Italian parsley 4 shakes Tabasco sauce ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning To make the crust: Lightly butter 24 3-inch muffin cups. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse flour, cornmeal, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Creole sea- soning and cayenne a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the eggs, egg yolks and 2 teaspoons ice water. pulse until the dough begins to form a ball. remove dough from the work bowl and pat into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you make the filling. To make the filling: In a large, heavy skillet set over medium heat, melt ½ cup of butter. Slowly sprinkle in ½ cup of flour, stirring constantly until the mixture is combined. Add the yellow and green onions, bell pepper and celery and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cream, parsley, Tabasco, ½ tea- spoon salt and ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning. Gently fold in the crawfish and cook an additional 5 minutes. remove from the heat. To assemble the pies: pre- heat the oven to 350 F. Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Divide the cornmeal dough into 24 (1½-inch) balls. press the dough balls into prepared muffin cups to cover the bottom and up the sides. Spoon the filling almost to the top of each pie shell. bake until the filling is hot and the crust is crisp, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.34 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 SMASHED POTATOES 2 pounds red potatoes (roughly the size of ping pong balls) Kosher salt Black pepper, freshly ground 1 ⁄ 2 cup unsalted butter, melted Maceo’s Italian Seasoning preheat oven to 450 F. In a large pot, cover the potatoes with water, salt generously and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using the bottom of a small glass, press down potatoes to smash them flat. Season with salt, pepper and Italian sea- soning blend. baste each flattened potato with melted butter. bake about 25 minutes or until browned and crisp. SEASIDE SOIRÉE CREOLE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE Servings: 10-12 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced and halved into half- moons 10 ounces fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into thirds 8 ounces crawfish tail meat (thawed and drained, if frozen) Kosher salt Black pepper, freshly ground ½ yellow onion, chopped ½ red bell pepper, diced ½ green bell pepper, diced 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 2½ teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided 10 eggs, well beaten ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup milk 1 tablespoon Maceo’s Italian Seasoning 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ cup grape tomatoes, chopped preheat the oven to 350 F. butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned. remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add shrimp and crawfish to the pan and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook seafood, gently stir- ring, until shrimp begin to turn pink. remove shrimp and crawfish and set aside with sausage. be careful not to overcook. Toss onion, both bell peppers, celery and garlic into the pan. Season lightly with salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Sauté mixture until onions are soft and translucent. remove vegetables from pan and allow to cool. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave and allow to cool. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cream, milk, melted butter, Italian seasoning blend, cayenne, remaining 2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning, 2 teaspoons of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to combine. Add sausage, shrimp, crawfish, cooked vegetables and tomatoes to prepared pan, distributing them evenly inside the pan. Carefully pour egg mixture into the pan, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until eggs are set and top is lightly brown. Serve immediately. EASY SPICY CANDIED BACON Servings: 6 1 pound thick-cut bacon 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground 3 ⁄ 4 cup packed light brown sugar preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Arrange the bacon on the wire rack. Combine the cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and light brown sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the bacon and lightly pat the mixture down to create a thin layer. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the brown sugar has melted and the bacon is crisp. Toward the end of the cooking time, check the bacon regularly so it doesn’t burn. remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a parch- ment-lined baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature. COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 35 EASY STREET BOURBON FRENCH TOAST WITH PRALINE TOPPING Servings: 8 5 eggs 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups half-and-half 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons bourbon, divided 1 ⁄ 4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 loaf (1 pound) challah bread, sliced into 3 ⁄ 4 -inch thick pieces 1 ⁄ 2 cup unsalted butter 3 ⁄ 4 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1 ⁄ 2 cup chopped pecans Pure maple syrup, for serving butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, granulated sug- ar, vanilla, 2 tablespoons bourbon and salt until well combined. Dip each slice of challah into cus- tard mixture for about 4 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish, covering the entire bottom of the dish. pour any remaining custard evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When you are ready to bake, set the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 F. While the oven preheats, set a small saucepan on the stove. Over medi- um-low heat, melt butter with brown sugar, corn syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons of bourbon. bring to a simmer, whisking until smooth. Stir in pecans. Spoon the mixture evenly over pan of bread. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. remove foil and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more. Let cool for 10 minutes then slice and serve warm, with maple syrup. FRUIT CROSTATAS Makes: 4 1 cup sugar, divided 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 4 tablespoons ice water 1 cup fresh ripe blueberries 3 tablespoons heavy cream, for brushing 1 tablespoon clear sanding sugar, for finishing preheat oven to 450 F. Line a bak- ing sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse together ½ cup of sugar with the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. pour the water through the feed tube, 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse until the dough begins to hold together. remove the dough, shape it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. On a floured surface, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and form each piece into a ball. roll the dough into ¼ -inch-thick rounds and transfer on the prepared baking sheet. each round should be about 6 inches in diameter. Spoon ¼ cup of the fruit into the center of each round, leaving a 1½- inch border all around the edge. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup sugar evenly over the fruit on each round. Fold the dough edges toward the center, making 3 separate flaps. With your thumb and forefinger, firmly pinch together the seams between the folds. brush exposed dough with the cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. bake the crostatas for 12 to 14 minutes, until brown around the edges. Cool the crostatas on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. 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COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 39 DOWN THE HATCH DRINK YOUR VEGETABLES When it comes to vodka, the mash is no small potatoes story by MARK G HANNA | photos by STUART VILLANUEVA A social media post earlier this year offered a quick observation of the contri- butions made by foods that are found in most all our markets and in our homes. The potato, it pointed out, is the source of chips, fries and vodka. The conclusion was other vegetables aren’t even trying. Well, as Abraham Lincoln famously said, as proclaimed in another social media post, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” Yes, the potato is an enterprising little spud, but where vodka is concerned, almost anything that sprouts can match it. From apples to grapes, corn to rye and maple sap to yams, there’s a vodka from which it came. Japan even makes vodka using rice. Even by-products of the fields and farms get into the mix. There’s a honey vodka in New York and one in New Zealand made with whey, a by-product in cheese production. Of course, there’s a fine art to making vodka, and as one of the world’s most popular alcohols, the number of brands and varieties has more than doubled in the past few decades. The process, however, hasn’t changed since its origins, most likely in Poland or Russia, in the early 14th century. It starts by creating a mash that is set aside to ferment until ethanol is formed. It is then distilled, diluted and filtered. Some brands claim to have a better prod- uct by the water used for dilution — ev- erything from melted glaciers to a 200-foot- deep well. Ocean Vodka in Hawaii uses naturally desalinated ocean mineral water from the Kona coast. Makers also make a claim for distilling their vodka multiple times, such as Cîroc, a French brand, which goes through the process five times. In Galveston, Texas Tail Distillery, which makes both bourbon and vodka, distills Texas Tail Vodka six times. Still, no distiller will deny vodka magic begins with the mash, the source and impor- tance of which is no small potatoes. Unlike most liquors, vodka is considered a neutral alcohol, meaning it has very little flavor. By definition, vodka in the United States must “be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color,” according to the Alco- hol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. If that were entirely the case, however, Next >