The Southern Po' Boy Cookbook (13 page)

4}
  If you want a crispier French loaf, split each and brown under the broiler until toasted. It is recommended that you not crisp the outside of the loaf. Dress each loaf with mayonnaise or tartar sauce, lettuce, and pickle and tomato slices. Place 4 crabs on each loaf, and season with a dash or two of hot sauce. Close the loaf and cut each into 2 sections. Serve immediately.

THE GARDEN DISTRICT

Creamy Crab Imperial Po’ Boy

Crab Imperial meets NOLA po’ boy bread. It’s an incredible combination you’ll be making again and again. And much like a streetcar ride down St. Charles Avenue through New Orleans’s spellbinding Garden District, this one’s not just good, it’s bordering perfection!

Serves 6

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups heavy cream

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shell pieces

1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs, divided

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided

2 tablespoons sherry

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon paprika, divided

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 (6-inch) submarine or hoagie rolls, split

1}
  Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2}
  In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

3}
  Remove from the heat, and stir in the crabmeat, half the bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, half the parsley, sherry, lime juice, Worcestershire, half the paprika, mustard, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Divide the mixture evenly among 6 shallow 6-ounce ramekins (oval if you have them). Place the ramekins on a baking pan, and set aside.

4}
  In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the remaining bread crumbs and paprika until evenly combined. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the ramekins. Bake until lightly browned and bubbling in the center, about 20 minutes.

5}
  Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Set the broiler to low, and toast the bread for about 2 minutes. Spoon the contents of 2 ramekins onto each roll. Cut in half and serve immediately. Serve immediately.

THE HARAHAN

Barbecued Oyster Po’ Boy

You can’t get any more New Orleans than this if you try! My favorite fish fry for this one is Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish-Fri, which you can find in many national grocers or online, but use what you can get, or the one you like best.

Serves 1

Fried Oysters

peanut oil, for frying

3 strips bacon

10 medium oysters

1 (10-ounce) package premixed seasoned fish fry

Assembly

1 (8-inch) hoagie or submarine roll, split

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

3 ounces shredded lettuce

3 slices tomato

crumbled blue cheese

Louisiana-style hot sauce

1}
  Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a 6 to 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, and add enough oil to measure 3 inches deep. Over medium heat, heat the oil to 375°F.

2}
  Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

3}
  Coat the oysters with seasoned fish fry according to package directions. When the oil reaches temperature, fry the battered oysters until golden, about 2 minutes. Don’t crowd the pot, but fry in batches, about 5 oysters at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

4}
  Spread mayonnaise on the bread, and layer on the lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Add the bacon, and top with the oysters. For an extra kick, add a few dashes of hot sauce.

THE MARIGNY

Cajun Tilapia Po’ Boy

This one is pretty easy, so don’t worry about being perfect. Just do what I do…drink way too many glasses of wine while cooking and call it all “close enough!”

Serves 2

Fish Strips

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

3 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets, quartered lengthwise

2 tablespoons canola oil

Assembly

1 (12-inch) baguette, split

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded lettuce

16 pickle chips

Louisiana-style hot sauce

1}
  In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and Cajun or Creole seasoning. Coat the tilapia with the flour mixture, tapping off the excess. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. To avoid crowding, cook the tilapia in batches until cooked through, 4 minutes per side.

2}
  Spread the mayonnaise on both sides of the baguette. Add the lettuce, pickle chips, and tilapia, and sprinkle on hot sauce. Cut into 2 sections, and serve immediately.

THE SATCHMO

Creole Crab Cakes Po’ Boy

Bring your BIG boy and girl appetites with you when you come to New Orleans to hunt down a legendary po’ boy: A full sandwich is about 12 inches long! The purists rightfully insist it isn’t really a po’ boy if the bread isn’t true New Orleans French bread, which is what I use to make all of the sandwiches in this book. However, feel free to enjoy all of these NOLA flavors on whatever bread you so choose. It will still taste like the Big Easy—just don’t let the po’ boy mafia of Orleans parish find out. They’re adamant about the bread, as am I, but hey, you use what you have! Still, the real-deal is always the best and authentic choice for me.

Serves 2 to 4

Crab Cakes

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Creole mustard

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

8 ounces lump crabmeat, cleaned and drained

1/2 cup crushed unsalted saltine crackers (about 13), divided

4 tablespoons light olive oil

Assembly

1 (12-inch) loaf French bread, split

1-1/2 cups shredded lettuce

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1}
  Blend together the mayonnaise and mustard, then mix with the bell pepper, green onion, lemon zest, and Cajun or Creole seasoning. Carefully pick any shell fragments from the crab that may remain, making sure the lumps stay intact. Gently stir in the crabmeat, trying not to break up the crab pieces, and 1/4 cup cracker crumbs. Form 4 (3-inch) patties, and coat with the remaining crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2}
  In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the patties, turning once, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Place the lettuce, onion, and crab cakes on the bread. Cut into 2 to 4 sections and serve.

THE CAJUN

Fried Crawfish Po’ Boy

You get a line and I’ll get a pole, honey,

You get a line and I’ll get a pole, babe.

You get a line and I’ll get a pole,

We’ll go fishin’ in the crawdad hole,

Honey, baby mine.”

— Old Cajun Song

Serves 4

Fried Crawfish Tails

vegetable oil, for frying

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce

1 (16-ounce) package crawfish tails, rinsed and drained

Rémoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons dill relish

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

2 tablespoons chopped capers

2 teaspoons Creole mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons chopped shallot

1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

Assembly

4 (6-inch) hoagie rolls, split

shredded green leaf lettuce

1}
  To make the rémoulade sauce, combine the mayonnaise, relish, parsley, chives, capers, mustard, shallot, and hot sauce in a small bowl, mixing well. Cover and chill. For best results, prepare the night before.

2}
  Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a 6 to 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, and add enough oil to measure 2 inches deep. Over medium heat, heat the oil to 350°F.