The Southern Po' Boy Cookbook (14 page)

3}
  In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. In a separate medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce. Soak the crawfish tails in the buttermilk mixture for 10 minutes, then dredge the tails in the flour mixture, tapping off the excess. To avoid crowding, fry the crawfish in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.

4}
  Serve on hoagie rolls with shredded lettuce and rémoulade sauce.

THE PARISH

Blackened Shrimp and Bacon Po’ Boy

“I was just mind-blown to find that New Orleans is just so much more fun and interesting than I had ever thought.” — Harold Perrineau

Serves 4

Blackening Mix

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

Blackened Shrimp

blackening mix

1-1/2 pounds large (31-35 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

Assembly

4 (6-inch) French rolls, split

8 slices bacon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup thinly shredded red cabbage

3 thick slices ripe tomato, cut in half

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1}
  Preheat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon, turning occasionally, until crisp on both sides, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

2}
  While the bacon cooks, thoroughly combine all the blackening mix ingredients in a medium bowl. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry, then add to the bowl with the blackening mix, and toss very well to coat the shrimp evenly.

3}
  Spoon out all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet, and increase the heat to high, until the grease just barely starts to smoke. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until done, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove to a bowl, and cover with foil to keep warm.

4}
  Crumble the cooked bacon. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on both sides of the bread. On the bottom half of each French roll, layer on red cabbage, 2 tomato half slices, salt and pepper, bacon crumbles, shrimp, and feta cheese. Serve immediately.

RESOURCES

AUTHENTIC PO’ BOY BREAD

www.cajungrocer.com

www.nolacajun.com

www.cajunsupermarket.com

BOUDIN AND OTHER CAJUN SPECIALTY MEATS

www.comeaux.com

www.beststopinscott.com

Based in Scott, Louisiana (near Lafayette), this website has the most impressive variety and selection I have seen and they ship anyplace
.

Jacob’s World Famous Andouille (
www.cajunsausage.com
)

LOCAL BRICK-AND-MORTAR GROCERY STORES

These are my favorite places in south Louisiana for “makin’ groceries” (buying all the food and supplies I need).

Rouses (
www.rouses.com
)

LeBlanc’s (
www.leblancsfoodstores.com
)

Langensteins (
www.langensteins.com
)

Breaux Mart (
www.breauxmart.com
)

Dorignac’s (
www.dorignacs.com
)

Tony’s Seafood Market (
www.tonyseafood.com
)

In Baton Rouge, Tony’s is Louisiana’s largest seafood market, featuring fresh seasonal seafood, packed and shipped nationwide. They also carry bulk spices and seasonings
.

OTHER FAVORITES

Tony Chachere (
www.tonychachere.com
)

Down in Louisiana, this is a popular brand for a wide variety of products. It’s often found in stores nationwide or can be ordered directly from their website
.

Zatarains (
www.zatarains.com
)

Also often found at supermarkets across the country
.

The New Orleans School of Cooking’s Louisiana General Store (
www.nosoc.com
)

The school’s store sells lots of products that they ship
.

Zapp’s Potato Chips (
www.zapps.com
)

Of course, po’ boys go best with our local and much loved kettle-cooked Zapp’s, which come in a wide variety of flavors
.

Abita Beer (
www.abita.com
)

And these Louisiana boys are even better washed down with our locally brewed Abita Beer (Amber, Purple Haze, and Turbo Dog, to name a few flavors). You’ll find Abita at several national chains, including Trader Joe’s
.

MEASUREMENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

INDEX

Po’ boy names/nicknames and major ingredients, as well as individual recipes included in po’ boy instructions, are indexed. Spices, garnishes, optional ingredients, and the everpresent lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and bread, are not indexed.

A

The Algiers Boy,
52

Alligator tail,
66

Andouille sausage,
77

Artichoke hearts,
57

The Atchafalaya,
69

Avocado Spread (recipe),
40

Avocados,
40

B

Baby, I Knead You! Homemade Po’ Boy Bread,
13

Bacon,
59
,
94
,
99
; Canadian,
26
,
59
; peppered,
43
; smoked applewood,
79

Baked Salmon (recipe),
62

Baked Salmon with Wasabi Mayo Po’ Boy,
62