Crunchy cornmeal-crusted shrimp are piled high in a bun with lettuce, tomato and a spicy Creole sauce in this classic New Orleans shrimp po’ boy.
The sandwich is a lost art. It has so much potential. And yet, more often than not, sandwiches are terrible. Most places offer the same boring sandwiches on mediocre bread. If I ever opened a restaurant, I swear it’d be a sandwich place. I’d recreate the best sandwiches I’d ever tried, like the Chicken Madness I ate through my college days, or lobster rolls like they serve at the Black Dog on Martha’s Vineyard, or pork meatball banh mi. Sandwiches that are packed with flavor. And Shrimp Po’ Boys belong on that list.
I’m no Southern girl, but when I visited New Orleans, I tried my fair of fabulous sandwiches. ‘Po Boys and muffaletta – yum! I gave it a shot and home and the results were delicious. Crunchy cornmeal crusted shrimp are fried and piled in a bun with spicy sauce. I seasoned the tomatoes with some salt and Tabasco too for extra flavor.
And word to the wise, with two kids on the go and lots of activities, I try to have one night be sandwich night. Paper plates for easy cleanup. A couple other favorites? Sausage subs and crab sandwiches. Because sandwiches are so much more than bologna and cheese…
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. Tabasco, or more to taste
- ¼ tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning, or more to taste
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp. Tabasco, plus more for serving
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ½ cup corn flour or masa
- Canola oil, for frying
- 4 hoagie rolls, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- To make the sauce, whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Adjust seasoning by adding more Tabasco or Creole seasoning if desired.
- To make the shrimp, combine the shrimp, buttermilk and 2 Tbsp. Tabasco in a bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
- Stir together the cornmeal, masa and salt to taste in a bowl.
- Pour canola oil to a depth of about 3 inches in a pan over medium high heat and heat to 365 degrees.
- While the oil heats, sprinkle the sliced tomato with a little salt and a few drops of Tabasco and set aside.
- When oil is hot, remove the shrimp from the buttermilk marinade and allow excess to drip off. Dredge in the cornmeal mixture. Fry for 2-3 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp), then remove to a rack to drain and keep warm. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- To serve, pile the lettuce into the rolls. Lay a couple of slices of tomato on top and then pile in the shrimp. Drizzle with some of the sauce and serve immediately.
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