New Orleans has given us so much in the way of food; gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, red beans, and rice, and the list goes on. The history behind these dishes is as rich and interesting as the food itself. One of the most interesting, and one that is synonymous with Creole and Cajun food, is the po’boy sandwich.
The traditional po’boy starts with French bread that has a crisp crust and a soft, fluffy inside. The other staples are shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles and mayo or rémoulade sauce. The typical fillings are roast beef or freshly fried seafood, especially shrimp or oysters. The choices are endless but, to me, it’s hard to beat the taste of grilled or fried fresh fish or seafood with a creamy, homemade rémoulade sauce.
What you need
Rémoulade sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Creole or Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup dill pickle, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
Po’boys
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup canola oil
- 4 6- to 8-ounce fish fillets
- 4 6-inch loaves or sections of French bread
How to make
- For the Rémoulade sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- For the po’boys, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl and mix together. Pour the buttermilk into a smaller, separate bowl.
- In a cast iron pan or heavy skillet heat 1/2 inch of oil until hot, but not smoking. You want the temperature around 325 to 350 degrees. A small deep-fry thermometer is a handy tool in regulating the heat or at least knowing where you are at in getting the right temperature to start cooking.
- While the oil is heating, dip each fillet in the buttermilk and then dredge in the cornmeal/flour mixture until each fillet is well-coated on both sides. Set aside on a plate.
- When the oil is right, carefully place a few fillets in the pan. Cook for four or five minutes on each side, turning with tongs, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Continue cooking until all fillets are done.
- Split each loaf or section of bread lengthwise and pull out a little crumb from the center of each piece to make more room for filling. I also like to cut a little off each end to square the loaf.
- Generously spread rémoulade sauce on both sides. Place a fried fillet on the bottom of each loaf, then add sliced tomato and shredded lettuce. Add the top of the bread and gently mash down. Enjoy!
