< Previous50 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 THE GALLEY PRETTY AND PORTABLE These sausage flower buns are perfect for parade picnics recipe and photo by ALICIA CAHILL I slanders are known for staking out prime spots on Mardi Gras parade routes, kicking back and enjoying good food and perhaps a cocktail, or two. Alicia Cahill has devised a snack consisting of salty, smoky meats cocooned in a soft rich bread, with a spicy kick of jalapeño. The recipe features tangzhong, a cooked paste of milk and flour and the secret behind these buns’ tender texture. SAUSAGE FLOWER BUNS Makes: 8 buns Tangzhong: 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons whole milk 2 tablespoons unbleached bread flour Dough: ½ cup whole milk, cold 2½ cups unbleached bread flour 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon instant yeast 1 large egg 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Buns: 8 (6-inch) pieces of andouille sausage 1 finely chopped jalapeño Topping: 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water Sesame seeds To make the tangzhong: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk to remove all lumps. Place the saucepan over low heat. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens and the whisk leaves lines along the bottom of the pan. Transfer the tangzhong to the bowl of a stand mixer. To make the dough: Pour the cold milk over the tangzhong to help it cool down. Add the flour and remaining dough ingredients to the bowl with the tangzhong. using the dough hook on your stand mixer, mix until a smooth, elastic dough forms. This could take as long as 15 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it. Let it rest for 90 minutes. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Line two baking sheets with parchment. To shape the buns: On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out each piece into a rough 6-inch square. Sprinkle the surface with jalapeño. Place the sausage on one edge, then roll it up in the dough. Set aside. repeat with remaining dough and sausages. With a knife, cut each sausage roll into six 1-inch pieces. Turn the pieces so the cut side of the sausage is facing up. Working on the prepared baking sheet, place one circle in the center, with the remaining five circles surrounding it. The pieces should just barely touch. repeat with remaining rolls. Cover both pans, and let rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. Toward the end of rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F. brush the buns with prepared egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve warm or at room temperature. 52 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 TASTE OF TEXAS FRIED AND TRUE Hot water cornbread pairs well with chili and stews story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS W hat’s the difference between standard Southern cornbread and hot water cornbread? Hot water cornbread is made with boiling water as a component of the batter. The bat- ter is formed into patties and fried in light oil rather than baked, making it extra crispy on the outside with a moist interior. Serve them with butter and syrup or honey as a side with any Southern fare. Hot water cornbread also is a perfect accompaniment to chilis and stews. Origins of this Southern staple can be traced to the native Americans. With easy ingredients, it’s simple to make. Any oil can be used as an ingredient, but lard or bacon drippings are traditional. The basic recipe is easy to augment. Want fluffier? Replace some of the cornmeal with self-rising flour. Add chopped green chile peppers or crumbled bacon. The choices are limited only by your larder. HOT WATER CORNBREAD 2 cups cornmeal 1½ teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon lard or bacon drippings 2 cups boiling water Oil for frying Combine salt and cornmeal. Stir in lard or bacon drippings. Slowly stir in boiling water. In a large skillet, pour oil until half way up the sides. Heat to 350 F. Make patties about ¼-cup size. Place a few at a time in the hot oil. When the bottom side browns, give it a flip and brown the other side. Drain on a paper towel. Serve warm or room temperature. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/ cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 53 KARENFLOWERS-(409)789-7377 DAVEBRIDGWATER-(409)392-5655 JOETRAMONTEREALTY (409)765-9837 BeautifulMid-CenturyModern,1-storywaterfront homeonprestigiousHarborView.Largeopen LivingAreawithFireplace,GourmetKitchenopen toBreakfastRoomwithPrepAreaandHighEnd Appliances. OFFEREDAT $1,450,000 HARBORVIEW FEBRUARY10-21,2023 FEBRUARY10-21,2023 SCANHERE: SCANHERE:54 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 GAME ON PAN-SEARED PERFECTION A cast-iron skillet and white bass fillets make for an easy, delicious meal story and photo by CAPT. NATE SKINNER W hen it comes to cooking fresh fish fillets, it’s hard to go wrong with a hot, cast-iron skillet coated with olive oil. The simplicity of this method works for just about any type of fish, including white bass, also referred to as sand bass. White bass fillets are hard to beat when they’re prepared fresh. If you can find time to cook them without having to freeze them first, then they’re even better. The key is to sear them to perfection, and it doesn’t take long. Once the thin layer of olive oil in the pan is hot, you’re ready to begin. And after you throw the first seasoned fillets into the skillet, you’re only a few minutes away from being ready serve them. It won’t take long before it’s time to flip the fillets. As soon as they flake to the touch and appear white in the middle, they’re done. Seared white bass fillets go well served over a bed of rice. They also make excellent tacos, as well as sandwiches. The best part is, they’re easy to cook, and you’ve got options when it comes to putting them on a plate. And as good as they taste, you won’t have to worry about leftovers. CAST-IRON SEARED WHITE BASS FILLETS Fresh white bass fillets, 2-3 per person Olive oil Seafood or blackened seasoning Generously season both sides of each white bass fillet with your favorite seafood or black- ened seasoning. Coat the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with olive oil and place on medium-high heat. Once the skillet is done heat- ing up, place the seasoned white bass fillets in the skillet and allow them to sear on one side. After about 1-2 minutes, flip each fillet. Allow the fillets to cook for another 1-2 minutes on their opposite side until they flake to the touch and appear white in the middle. remove from the skillet and serve as fish tacos, fish sandwiches or over a bed of rice. COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 55 GALVESTON 222 Kempner 409-763-4641 GALVESTON - WEST END 13680 FM 3005 409-737-1488 TEXAS CITY 905 Logan 409-948-1771 SANTA FE 13227 FM 1764 409-925-3800 FRIENDSWOOD 281-819-4280 LEAGUE CITY 281-332-3521 56 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 DESSERT ISLAND STATE SECRETS One ingredient makes this shortbread-style cookie a standout story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS T he biscochito — or bizcochito as it’s officially spelled in New Mexico — can be traced back to 16th-century Spain. But it’s famous for being the first cookie to be adopted by a state. The anise-flavored shortbread-type cookie be- came the New Mexico state cookie in 1989. Similar to shortbread or butter cookies, biscochitos have a secret ingredient. These delightfully flaky cookies are made with lard, which gives them a pie-dough texture. And like pie dough, the dough for biscochitos needs to be refrigerated. This will firm up the dough and allow the lard to do its thing, which is to make an incredibly flaky pastry. The dough also will require kneading before refrigeration to incorporate the lard completely into the flour. You can sub- stitute butter or shortening, but don’t. BISCOCHITOS 3 cups well-sifted flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon toasted anise seed ½ pound lard 1 large egg ¼ cup brandy ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon for topping the cookies Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. beat at a slow speed. Add the lard in small batches. Increase the speed to medium until lard is well incorporated. reduce speed to low and add the beaten egg and brandy. Cover the bowl and refriger- ate for 24 hours. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Form the dough into ping-pong-size balls. Dip a fork into dry flour and press the balls twice to form a criss-cross pattern. The cookie should be about ¼-inch high. bake for 12 minutes, until edges and bottoms are golden brown. Check often so you don’t over bake them. remove from the oven. Allow to cool slightly to firm up. us- ing a spatula, place cookies, one at a time, in the cinnamon sugar and spoon some over the top of the cookie. Place on a cooling rack. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 5758 COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 DOWN HOME KING OF POPS Islander puts a festive twist on a Mardi Gras confection story by SHANNON CALDWELL photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS K ing Cake rules Mardi Gras, but islander Meghan Billiot has a sweet confection that’s a strong contender for the crown. Billiot makes intricately decorated cake pops that have won a loyal fan base from regulars at Seawall Coffee Company, a Galveston coffee shop and cafe she owns with her sister, Paula. Over the holiday season, Billiot made intricately decorated cake pops to resemble slices of pumpkin pie, Christmas trees and mugs of hot cocoa. Each one was different and delicious. For Mardi Gras, she’s planning beautifully decorated masks and jester hats. “The funny thing is, I don’t eat cake pops, so I ask Paula to taste them to make sure they are good,” Billiot said. Billiot dedicated a week to researching how to make and decorate cake pops and then spent many more hours of trial and error to perfect her technique, she said. Galveston’s humid weather means the final size of the cake pop and its consis- tency must be just right to ensure it doesn’t fall apart or slip off the stick. Tempering chocolate for the decoration is another exact science Billiot has mastered. “I usually make them at night, as I don’t sleep much,” she said. “It takes about two hours for each cake pop. It’s an outlet for me, I find it calming at night when no one else is awake.” Billiot moved to Galveston in 2010 and has created a busy life for herself. A geol- ogist and environmental scientist by trade, she teaches online, has a successful fishing charter business called Reel Men, and is Meghan Billiot, who runs Seawall Coffee Company with her sister, Paula Kovach, makes intricately decorated king cake pops for Mardi Gras. COASTMONTHLY.COM | FebruArY 2023 59Next >