< Previous70 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 TASTE OF TEXAS MELTING POT This stir-fry blends food and cooking cultures story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS A sian cooking techniques meet Texas ingredients in this stir-fry dish. You can use a traditional wok or a flat-top griddle. Even a skillet will work in a pinch. The most important thing to remember is it needs to be hot enough to get the oil smoking. So, choose an oil with a high smoke point. Frying oil, canola, peanut or avocado oil work well. Next, decide on your protein. This recipe uses bratwurst, but kielbasa, andouille and chorizo work. So does fajita meat, ground beef or chicken. When possible, pick fresh vegetables from your own garden or a local farmers market. Otherwise, hit the local grocery store aisles. A good stir-fry has a sauce and we pair our brats with beer mixed with honey mustard and Worcestershire sauce to add great flavor and a nice glaze. Serve with rice if desired. TEXAS STIR-FRY 4 tablespoons oil 19 ounces bratwurst or comparable sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 red potatoes, roughly chopped 2 yellow squash, sliced 1 each red bell and green bell pepper, cored and sliced 2 small (or one large) white onions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced Salt and pepper to taste 6 ounces beer (The rest is for the cook.) 3 tablespoons honey mustard 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ½ cup chopped green onions for topping Heat wok over medium/high heat. Add oil. Add sausages and cook until browned and lightly crisp, stir- ring occasionally. Move to the side of the wok or away from the heat if using a griddle. Add potatoes and cook until ¾ done. Push to the top of the wok and add the squash. Cook until they start to get tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Move from heat source. Add peppers and onion and cook until tender, bring other ingredients back down to the heat and stirring together. Stir in the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, whisk togeth- er honey mustard, beer and Worcestershire sauce. Pour onto the mixture, reduce heat to medium low and cook until sauce reduces and glazes. Add seasoning, if needed, and top with green onions. Serve over rice, if desired. Note: If you use a skillet, after each addition, remove ingredient from the skillet and keep warm. When you’re done, stir them together and add sauce. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 71 ADVERTISING FEATURE: GOOD EATS72 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 GAME ON HUNTER’S HELPER This pasta and venison dish brings back childhood memories story, recipe and photo by CAPT. NATE SKINNER T here’s just something about ground meat prepared with pasta and a cheese sauce that reminds me of my child- hood. This most likely is because Hamburger Helper-style recipes were popular and made for quick, easy meals I thought were delicious. As an adult, I still love these types of dishes. They’re easy to prepare and tasty, too. This recipe, which incorporates ground venison, is no different. It’s full of flavor and actually puts a little bit of a healthier twist on its old-school look-a-like. For increased nutrition, I use chickpea pasta noodles, which are higher in fiber and protein than traditional pasta options. The dish also calls for broccoli florets, giving it just the right touch of green. The wild game processor I use for processing the deer I harvest each year offers Italian pan sausage as one of its products. My family is a big fan of the Italian pan sausage, so that’s what I use for the ground venison ingredient in this recipe. But regu- lar ground venison meat works great, too. Yellow onion, garlic and Italian seasoning help round out this flavorful dish. Just brown the meat, boil the pasta, whip up the cheese sauce and mix it all together. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to serve a satisfying and nutritious meal. VENISON HAMBURGER HELPER 1 pound venison pan sausage or ground venison meat 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup yellow onion, diced 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 cups milk 1 ⁄ 3 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon salt 1 ⁄ 4 teaspoon black pepper 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon paprika 3 cups broccoli florets 8 ounces chickpea pasta shells Brown the venison pan sau- sage or ground venison meat in a large skillet, breaking it into pieces as it cooks. Then transfer the meat to a large bowl. Boil pasta in a large pot while the venison meat cooks. Add olive oil to the same skillet you browned the meat in, and sauté the broccoli and diced onion. Sprinkle flour on top, tossing to coat. reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly add 1 cup of milk at a time while whisking constantly. Let the mixture simmer and thicken after each cup of milk is added. Stir in the half-and-half, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, shred- ded cheese, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. remove from heat. Add cooked venison meat and pasta to the skillet and stir thoroughly. Serve and enjoy. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 73 12 EVIA MAIN UNIT 1201 GALVESTON, TEXAS 77554 WWW.EMPOURIA.COM 409.295.4096 Call-ahead, Curbside & Delivery options available GENERAL STORE & POUR ROOM • Wine by the Taste, Glass, or Bottle • Over 140 curated wines to shop • Unique sundries and housewares • Gourmet snacks and local craves • Indoor and patio seating available $319,000|2/1|1,200 sf 409-354-6456 Brian Kuhn Broker Associate 4419 Ursuline St Galveston, TX 77550 #FindYourGalvestonCute Craftsman + Garage Apt74 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 DESSERT ISLAND ALL AMERICAN? This famously silky chocolate pie has nothing to do with the French story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS D espite its romantic, continental sounding name, the French Silk Pie is very American. The pie was concocted in 1951, when a woman from Kensington, Maryland, named Betty Cooper participated in a Pillsbury Bake-Off contest. You might ask how it differs from standard chocolate cream pie. “French” refers to the luxurious, silky texture of the filling, not an actual French origin. Standard chocolate cream pies typically sit on a crushed cookie crust, while the French Silk Pie has a flaky pastry crust. Chocolate cream pies also have fillings that are denser and more pudding like, whereas the French silk pies are lighter, airier, with a distinctly mousse-like consistency and have no cornstarch or thickeners like standard cream pies. Butter and sugar are beaten, melted chocolate is incorporated, eggs are added and whipped to a cloud-like state and whipped cream is folded in for even more airiness. When making this pie, it’s at this point I must lock my partner, Cindy, out of the kitchen if I want to get the filling into the crust. The finished filling is like a siren call to her. In the end, you have a dessert worthy of its French name. FRENCH SILK PIE 4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate ¼ teaspoon espresso powder 1 cup heavy cream 1½ sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 large eggs (organic or free range), pasteurized if desired 1 (9-inch) pie crust, pre-baked and cooled Whipping cream for topping Chocolate shavings for garnish Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Whisk in the espresso powder. Set aside to cool. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate. Beat room-temperature butter at medium speed for about a minute. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and cooled chocolate. Beat until incorporated. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated, silky and smooth. Add the whipped cream from the refrigerator to the chocolate filling. Fold in with a rubber spatula until no white streaks remain. Transfer the filling to the pie crust and smooth the top. refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANUARY 2025 75 Bay Area Kitchens Our Showroom is Open BY APPOINTMENT ONLY 17306 Highway 3, Webster, TX 77598 | | 281.338.2737 We Begin With Thoughtful Design. HIGH-END KITCHEN DESIGN | GOURMET APPLIANCES | LUXURY CUSTOM CABINETRY SCAN TO VIEW OUR WORK At Coastal, we care about your financial wellness! Sign up for FREE webinars presented by our partner, BALANCE, who provides free access to expertly crafted financial education and resources to help you with your fiscal matters. BASICS OF PERSONAL FINANCE Session 1: 12:30 PM Jan. 7 Session 2: 7:30 PM Jan. 16 UNLEASHING THE POWER OF CREDIT Session 1: 12:30 PM Feb. 11 Session 2: 7:30 PM Feb. 20 www.coastalcommunityfcu.orgwww.coastalcommunityfcu.org COAST MONTHLY delivered to your inbox! galvnews.com/ newsletters Sign up for our monthly newsletter76 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 DOWN THE HATCH NEW YEAR, NEW BUBBLY Prosecco’s taste profile makes it a popular party drink story by SHANNON CALDWELL photo by STUART VILLANUEVA F or a New Year’s Eve toast that’s bubbly, fun and fruity, Galveston’s Kristen Lepo recommends the Italian sparkling wine Prosecco. “Bubbly wines are so fun, and Prosecco is an approachable spar- kling wine,” Lepo said. “It is really bright and crisp with flavors of apple, pear and melon. Prosecco can also have floral notes like honeysuckle. It is nice and fruity but not too sweet.” Just as Champagne has to come from the Champagne region in France, Prosecco must come from the Prosecco region of Italy to carry the name. Near Venice between the Adriatic Sea and the Dolomite Mountains, this region is home to the glera grape used to make Prosecco. Prosecco’s fruity flavors make it a great choice for a party because it appeals to many people, especially those who don’t like the “bready” or toasty flavors of Cham- pagne, Lepo said. It also can be more cost-effective than Champagne, making it a good option for a crowd. “Bubbly wines are so fun, and Prosecco is an approachable sparkling wine.” KRISTEN LEPO Bubbly, fruity and fun, the Italian sparkling wine Prosecco makes a perfect libation for New Year’s toasts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 77 Be Prepared to Read a Medical Memoir Unlike Any That Has Been Written! Comments from verified purchases five star Amazon reviews M.ALRAC: Unique medical memoir. Wonderfully engaging… through a series of funny and poignant vignettes. Insight into the many ways medicine has changed since the 60s, but more importantly how the human condition remains so much the same. Highly recommended. J.DAR: Fast moving, insightful…, C.HARRIS: Handel’s wit shines., KATHY R.: The writer candidly reflects on his personal experiences...choices he made which set his life’s course. An easy read. A wonderful book looking back in Galveston and UTMB in the early 1960’s Scan Here to find it on Amazon.com A Memoir of the University of Texas Medical Branch UTMB 1961-1965: A Five-Year Transition to Physician “Prosecco can be sweet, dry or extra dry, so it pays to read the label and choose the level of sweetness you prefer,” Lepo said. “You don’t need to be swayed by a higher price as you can get a good Prosecco at different price points. It really comes down to your taste and what you like. I always encourage people to try different brands and go with what they like.” The world of wine can be seen as intim- idating or even snobby and Lepo is hoping her down-to-earth approach will help peo- ple try wines they wouldn’t normally drink. A third-generation Galvestonian, Lepo owns Grape & Gather, a wine consultancy compa- ny offering wine-tasting events, wine menu planning for events and wine list develop- ment for restaurants and bars. Lepo has worked in the hospitality indus- try for more than 12 years and is known to many as the co-owner of Bar 43, Island Pier Club and Albatross bars in Galveston with her husband, Brian. Her journey in wine education began a decade ago when she was asked to pair wines with food for a charity gala event. Fascinated by flavor and how different grapes, soils and growing regions create different wines, she undertook a series of courses with Houston Wine School, earn- ing a Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level 3 designation. Although New Year’s Eve is a busy night for bars and restaurants, the Lepos trust the great people they have working for them and usually take the night off, she said. A glass of Prosecco is one of her favorite ways to ring in the New Year and she has a few suggestions for how to make it even more festive. “Prosecco should be served chilled be- tween 35 to 40 degrees F,” she said. “You can add frozen berries to the bottom of the glass. They keep it cool and look pretty.” For other easy party options, add a splash of cranberry juice, and you have a Poinset- tia cocktail, or add a splash of elderflower syrup for a Hugo Spritz. Elderflower syrup has complementary flavors and comes in a pretty bottle that looks good on a party drinks table. 78 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2025 Guests in Victorian dress attended the Dickens Soirée on Dec. 6 at the 1892 Bishop’s Palace in Galveston. The special event, held in conjunc- tion with the 51st annual Dickens on the Strand festival, featured light hors d’oeuvres, bountiful spirits and appearances by descendants of Charles Dickens. Photos by Carla Peoples DICKENS SOIREE PARTY PICS PICTURED: 1. Carol and Leonard Cadena. 2. Rachel Brownhill and Joe Machado. 3. Laura and Christian Bourgeois. 4. Chris Topel and Diana Lozano. 5. Joe and Norma Fisk. 6. Oliver Dickens, Polly Boyd and Harry Whinney. 7. Christopher and Muriel Drew. 8. Lacy Davis and Shannon Guillot-Wright. 123 48 7 6 5 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANUARY 2025 79 2618 Broadway galvestoncm.org 409-572-2544 A family membership makes it easy to enjoy hands-on play & learning. New Year’s Resolution... PLAY MORE! GALVESTON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 214.793.4176 • kathy@sandnsea.com COASTAL REAL ESTATE EXCELLENCE SINCE 1974 Kathy Kendrick REALTOR ® Buying or Selling in Galveston County and surrounding area? www.sandnsea.com 16534 Francis Drake Jamaica Beach, TX KARENFLOWERS (409)789-7377 DAVEBRIDGWATER (409)392-5655 JOETRAMONTEREALTY (409)765-9837 DUVALSTREET5 4/2.5/2 OFFEREDAT $645,000 NEWYEAR- NEWHOME!Next >