Po' Boy Sandwiches

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Tomorrow is National Sandwich Day and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to make a delicious Po' Boy. Doesn’t ring a bell? A Po' Boy is a sandwich from New Orleans in which French bread is stuffed with something (it can be anything really) and topped with mayo, tomatoes and shredded lettuce. The odd name for this sandwich came about in the 1800s when street car workers were on strike. A local deli owner felt bad for those starving poor boys and handed out free sandwiches, hence the name.

Like I previously mentioned, you can stuff anything into a Po' Boy and if you are really poor, that means French fries. No meat, no seafood, just fries. Simply cut a 6 inch length of French bread, spread some mayo, top with French fries (the fries you bake in the oven are acceptable), drizzle with brown gravy that's mixed with Tabasco sauce and add tomatoes and lettuce. Hot, filling and delicious.

On the other hand, if you have a few extra greenbacks in your pocket, you might want to make a fried oyster and shrimp Po'Boy, aka the Peacemaker. This odd name came about when after a late night of drinking, a husband brought home this sandwich to make the peace with his furious wife. This sandwich is so delicious, I can guarantee the wife forgave him. See the recipe below.

The Peacemaker

All you need:

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

3/4 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/4 pound raw oysters

3 cups seafood breading mix

6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Four 6-inch lengths of French bread, split lengthwise

Mayonnaise, for dressing the sandwich

Shredded lettuce, for serving

Medium tomato, thinly sliced

All you do:

1. Combine the buttermilk, hot sauce and Cajun seasoning in a medium mixing bowl, stir to combine. Add the shrimp and oysters and marinate for up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-size heavy pot or deep-fryer until the temperature reaches 360º F. Working in batches, remove the shrimp and oysters from the buttermilk marinade and transfer them to the seafood breading mix. Dredge to coat, shaking to remove any excess breading. Cook the shrimp and oysters in small batches in the oil until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. 

4. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

5. Generously spread the top halves of the bread with the mayonnaise. Divide the shrimp and oysters evenly among the bottom halves, followed by the lettuce and tomato. Place the top halves of the bread over the fillings and press lightly.

6. Enjoy!

Let the good times roll, bite into a Po'Boy and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex