shrimp po` boys sandwich

[rocler]

I would like to make a really good shrimp po boy sandwich to use as a daily special once in awhile. Being canadian its not something we see on menus here so could you people familar with this give me some tips on dos and donts, and also maybe a recipe

[HungryC]

Here in the poboy's native land, the classic shrimp po-boy is always made with fried shrimp, overfilled on New Orleans french bread (most emphatically NOT a french-style baguette). The bread is key: it needs to be crisp on the outside, but relatively soft & fluffy on the inside. Outside of south LA, I find that mass-market "italian" bread (the kind that's often braided with sesame seeds on top) comes closest to real poboy bread. Warming or lightly toasting the bread (a sheen of butter is optional) is a nice touch, too.

On a good shrimp poboy, abundance is key. Shrimp should spill out the sides onto the plate: overstuffed is a mark of quality in a poboy. Regarding the shrimp, 31-40 (per pound) are a good size, though you will often see "popcorn shrimp" fried and served on poboy bread or buns (very small shrimp, 51-60 per pound and above). Shrimp are generally coated in seasoned flour with a bit cornflour added for crunch (not a thick, wet batter or tempura batter) and deepfried or panfried. A few spots (namely, Casamento's) still fry in lard, though I use peanut oil.

And on to "dressed": in NOLA, to dress a poboy means you're adding shredded iceberg lettuce, mayo, and sliced pickles (outside of NOLA in LA, you don't generally get pickles). Most places will add mustard (creole or yellow), cheese, or other embellishments upon request. It is usual practice for the diner to open up the poboy and shake on your favorite hot sauce (Crystal, Louisiana, Tabasco, etc.)

Nouveau variations made with grilled shrimp, shrimp remoulade (frequently seen with fried green tomatoes), and BBQ shrimp (not barbecued at all, but baked or sauteed in a highly seasoned butter sauce) are eaten in NOLA & environs, but they're definitely not the textbook example of the dish.

Edited April 30, 2009 by HungryC (log)

[MikeHartnett]

rocler, Celeste knows her stuff. You shouldn't need much more than what she said.

[Magictofu]

I had shrimp po-boy only once and was blown away. I have to agree that its all about the shrimps. Those I got were fished the same day in the Gulf and were so good that I doubt I'd ever be able to copy such a sandwich here.

[PopsicleToze]

Celeste definitely knows a thing or two about po-boys, and check out this site for a fantastic write-up with photos.

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2008/05/17/domilises-po-boy-bar/

About the bread, it's essential and I think there's a thread lurking somewhere on this site about baking New Orleans french bread. Also essential is great shrimp with just a light dusting before frying. A thick batter like crust isn't any good.

And if you're making the shrimp po-boy anyway, you might want to consider its cousin the fried oyster po-boy, which is my personal favorite. And along the same route, the soft-shell crab po-boy seems to be a big seller this year at JazzFest per Brett Anderson's article at the Times Picayune today:

http://blog.nola.com/brettanderson/2009/04...mespicayun.html

Good luck!

Edited April 30, 2009 by PopsicleToze (log)

[rocler]

thanks all for the imput. i am chef at a golf club and on mens league night, from time to time i make muffeletta and it is a big seller, its just to get them to try these new things once .

[HungryC]

You might try converting them to the sloppy, NOLA-style roast beef poboy, too. It's good, messy, satisfying food. Think of it as a french dip, only the "dip" is already inside the sandwich, bathing the beef. Here's a good starter recipe by Danno. I'd use lots more garlic, personally, and I like the beef a little more sliceable rather than falling apart, but it's a proper recipe nonetheless. The most important point is a reduction gravy rather than a flour thickened one.

[rocler]

you mentioned pickles, what type dill , sweet etc?

[HungryC]

Dill pickle slices, the kind sold as "hamburger slices". Not too many--maybe 3 or 4 on a 6" long sandwich. Incidentally, the (fairly new) book New Orleans Cuisine: 14 Signature Dishes and Their Histories has a great chapter on the development of NOLA french bread, and the development of the poor boy loaf.