The Southern Po' Boy Cookbook (5 page)

2}
  Meanwhile, make the slaw. Soak the shallot in cold water for 5 minutes. Toss together the cabbage, shallot, and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt in a colander set in the sink. Set aside to drain for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Rinse the cabbage, pat dry, and place in a large bowl. Toss with the peanut or olive oil and vinegar, and season to taste with salt.

3}
  Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Drain and pat the tenderloins dry, then brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with the pepper. Grill the tenderloins, turning as needed to mark all sides. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 145°F, about 8 minutes per side. Set the tenderloins on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing.

4}
  While the meat is resting, place the rolls split side down on the grill, and toast until golden. Brush the bottom half of the toasted rolls with the mustard and mayonnaise or sour cream, and layer on tenderloin slices, pickles, and pickled peppers, if using. On the grill, lightly melt one slice of cheese on the top half of each toasted roll. Place the top halves of the rolls over the bottom halves, and smash down slightly to incorporate the melted cheese. Serve immediately.

THE FRENCH CANADIAN

Poutine Po’ Boy

By most accounts, the original Martin brothers’ free po’ boys were filled not with oysters or meat but with a much cheaper carbohydrate combo: french-fried potatoes and brown gravy. You can still get these types of po’ boy in The City That Care Forgot. In fact, this is one of my favorites. In her book
Gumbo Tales
, Sara Roahen writes about having to lie down on the floor after eating one: “I could only guess that digestion had usurped all available energies.” Truer words have never been written, Sara! Invite the neighbors, unless you don’t like them. Regardless, these are worthy of a party.

Serves 2 to 4

canola oil

4 large russet (baking) potatoes cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons minced green onion

3 tablespoons fresh thyme

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon water

3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 ounces cheese curds

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

2 (12-inch) loaves French bread, split nearly apart

1}
  Place an oven rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 200°F.

2}
  Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a 5 to 6-quart heavy pot, and add enough oil to measure 3 inches deep. Over medium heat, heat the oil to 375°F.

3}
  Peel the potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks, and submerge in a bowl of ice and cold water. Drain in a colander, then spread in a single layer on paper towels, and pat very dry.

4}
  Start the gravy by melting 1 tablespoon butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the green onion and thyme, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and golden, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, stirring occasionally, then discard the thyme. While the wine mixture is reducing, stir together the water and cornstarch until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add the beef broth, Kitchen Bouquet, and Worcestershire to the wine, and bring to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture, and return to a boil. Stir frequently and boil until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the black pepper, salt, and 1-1/2 teaspoons butter until the butter has melted.

5}
  Once the oil is at temperature, fry the potatoes in batches, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden, about 6 minutes per batch. Be sure the oil maintains 375°F between batches. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fries to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Keep the fries warm in the oven while frying the remaining batches.

6}
  Spread all the fries on a large ovenproof plate, pan, or dish, sprinkle with the cheese curds, and place in the oven for about 2 minutes, until the cheese is just warmed through. Stir the chives into the gravy, and drizzle over the fries. Warm the bread in the oven, then ladle the poutine into the bread. Close the sandwich, and cut into 2 sections to serve.

THE PIZZERIA

Cheesy Pepperoni Po’ Boy

Traditional po’ boys rule in my book. They need no improving upon — the originals remain the BEST! With that said, it is so fun to explore and invent new renditions and some, like this one, are really delectable. The rules are yours to make or break, so go right ahead. (Like you needed my permission!)

Serves 2 to 4

Pizza Sauce

2 cups water

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

2 cloves garlic

1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste

Assembly

1 (12-inch) loaf French bread, split, buttered, and toasted

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 medium red onion, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup shredded Gouda cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces pepperoni slices

1}
  To make the pizza sauce, combine the water, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, and tomato paste in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

2}
  Spread a light layer of pizza sauce over the bottom half of the toasted bread. Next, layer on the mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and tomato. Add the Gouda and mozzarella cheeses. Top with pepperoni and another light layer of pizza sauce. Close the sandwich, and slice into 2 to 4 sections to serve.

THE MEXICAN

Spicy Bean and Taco Po’ Boy

These are fun to make with the kids, or those who are kids at heart. Filling and easy too!

Serves 4

Avocado Spread

1 cup sour cream

1 ripe avocado, mashed

Louisiana-style hot sauce, to taste

Filling

1 (16-ounce) can refried beans

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1 pound thinly sliced deli chicken

Assembly

4 (6-inch) French rolls, split

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

1 (8-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1 red onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

1}
  In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, avocado, and hot sauce until the mixture reaches spreading consistency. Set aside.

2}
  In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the refried beans just until warm, then stir in the taco seasoning.

3}
  Preheat the broiler. Hollow out the bottom halves of the rolls, leaving about a 1/2 inch of crust for the shell. Place the rolls, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Position about 5 inches from the broiler, and broil until toasted, about 2 minutes.

4}
  Spread the beans over the bottom halves of the rolls. Top with the chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, onion, and chiles. Spread the avocado mixture on the top halves of the rolls. Close the sandwiches, and serve immediately.

THE GERMAN

Bratwurst and Mustard Po’ Boy

Also known as Berlin on the Bayou, this one goes great with a pint of your favorite dark German beer. Cheers, y’all! Thanks again to Eric Olsson (
www.redbeansanderic.wordpress.com
) for developing this one.

Serves 2

Bratwurst

1 (16-ounce) beer

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 links bratwurst

Assembly

2 tablespoons Bavarian-style mustard

2 (6-inch) loaves French bread, split nearly apart

4 (1-ounce) Gouda cheese slices

1 cup sauerkraut

2 tablespoons horseradish sauce

1}
  In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the beer, red pepper, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a boil. Add the bratwurst, and cook for 10 minutes.

2}
  Move the bratwurst to either an outdoor grill, grill pan, or stove-top skillet and grill for 10 minutes, turning once. Rub the cooked bratwurst with the mustard.

3}
  Place the mustard-covered bratwurst in each loaf of bread. Top with the cheese, followed by the sauerkraut and horseradish sauce. Smash down slightly to melt the cheese.

THE BEIJING

Sweet and Sour Pork Chop Po’ Boy

Bring a little Asian flair to your town with this tasty take on NOLA’s famously flavorful sandwich! I use a good-quality black rice vinegar in this recipe, like Gold Plum’s Chinkiang Vinegar, which is similar to balsamic vinegar. Balsamic makes a fine substitute.