I honestly don’t know what inspired me to come up with my own version of the classic New Orleans Po’ Boy sandwich, as my recipe notes have been sitting in my drafts folder for months now; but I sure am glad I made ’em because John and I both really enjoyed these crispy shrimp sandwiches!
“N’awlins” natives and transplants alike will probably scoff at my un-deep fried version, but a cornmeal coating and quick pan-fry in a bit of olive oil yields crispy shrimp just begging to be paired with soft rolls and spicy remoulade sauce.
I stirred diced dill pickle into the yogurt/mayo remoulade, but a few dill pickle chips on top of the lettuce and tomato would be a great addition (yes, I fit the classic pregnant lady stereotype in that pickles are one of my current favorite foods! At least I haven’t tried to combine them with ice cream).
Po’ Boys are best served right after assembling, while the shrimp are still crispy and slightly warm. These babies were a little messy to eat, but isn’t that part of the fun?!
A serving of freshly made bread pudding with whisky sauce and a cup of chicory coffee would have been the ideal Southern end to this meal, but the Po’ Boys alone were enough to transport us to New Orleans… at least for 20 minutes or so ;).
Crispy Shrimp Po’ Boys
| Nutrition Information | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Name: | Crispy Shrimp Po’ Boys |
| Cuisine: | Southern, American |
| Prep Time: | 15 minutes |
| Cooking Time: | 15 minutes |
| Total Time: | 30 minutes |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 sandwiches |
Ingredients (2-3 sandwiches)
Ingredients for the crispy shrimp
- 1/2 lb medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and tails removed
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 large egg, preferably organic, whisked
- 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Ingredients for the spicy remoulade
- 1/3 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayonnaise
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and very finely minced
- 1/2 tsp country Dijon mustard
- 1 dill pickle spear, diced
- 1 Tbsp dill pickle juice
- 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce (or more, to taste)
Ingredients for the po’ boys
- 2-3 individual-sized soft baguettes or sub rolls, preferably whole wheat, split and lightly toasted
- shredded romaine lettuce, preferably organic
- 1 medium tomato, preferably organic, thinly sliced
Instructions
Make spicy remoulade by adding all remoulade ingredients to a mini food processor (or small bowl) and pulsing (or stirring) until mixed. Chill until ready to serve.
Make sure shrimp are dry. Season with cayenne pepper and to taste with salt & black pepper. Mix flour and cornmeal until well-combined.
Spread the arrowroot or cornstarch out in a shallow dish, the whisked egg out in another shallow dish, and the flour & cornmeal in a third shallow dish.
Add the shrimp to the arrowroot and coat evenly; tap off excess arrowroot/cornstarch. Run shrimp through egg white until cully coated, allowing excess egg white to drip off. Finally, coat shrimp with the flour/cornmeal mixture, pressing to adhere.
Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add breaded shrimp to hot skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side.
Evenly divide the remoulade between the toasted rolls, spreading it in an even layer. Layer on the shredded romaine, tomato slices, and crispy shrimp.
Estimate Nutrition Per Serving:
Calories: 480 calories per serving.
Protein: 25 grams.
Carbohydrates: 45 grams.
Dietary Fiber: 3 grams.
Sugars: 5 grams.
Total Fat: 21 grams.
Saturated Fat: 3 grams.
Cholesterol: 190 milligrams.
Sodium: 1300 milligrams.
