Gulf Coast Oyster Po’ Boys

Name: Gulf Coast Oyster Po’ Boys
Yield: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1/3 cup mayonnaise (page 282); 2 teaspoons hot sauce; Juice of 1/2 lemon; Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; 6 cups peanut oil, for frying; 1 large egg; 1/4 cup milk; 1 1/2 cups white or yellow cornmeal; 2 pints shucked oysters, drained (about 60 small oysters); 1 baguette, halved horizontally; 2 tablespoons Creole mustard; 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded; 1 large, ripe tomato, cored and sliced

December 9, 2011

Po’ boy sandwiches are found all along the Gulf Coast and are a New Orleans tradition. There are various tales about the origin of the name: that it’s a slang version of “poor boy” and the sandwich used to be an inexpensive, yet filling meal; that the sandwich was given out to streetcar workers on strike, who were essentially poor boys; or that it is a bastardized version of the French “pour boire.” This last theory holds that the sandwich was a sort of olive branch that men would bring home after a night of drinking and carousing around town. Whatever the name’s origin, it is an excellent sandwich. Although one can find roast beef and gravy po’ boys or fried potato and gravy po’ boys, possibly the most popular version of this iconic Louisiana treat is fried seafood po’ boys made with shrimp and oysters from the Gulf. The key to light and crispy fried food is to use the right oil. Peanut oil is a great choice for frying: it has a mild, pleasant flavor; does not take on the tastes of foods as readily as other oils do; and has a smoke point of about 450°F, meaning you can safely heat it to a very high temperature.

Recipe notes