Po' Boy Recipe

In a bowl combine mayonnaise, Creole mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne, minced garlic, chopped green onions, salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning; refrigerate at least 20 minutes to meld flavors.

Thinly slice the tomato into 1/4-inch rounds. Thinly shave the red onion into rings. Tear or trim lettuce leaves to fit hoagie rolls. Split hoagie rolls lengthwise but keep hinge intact. If desired, lightly butter the inside of each roll and toast cut-side down in a hot skillet until golden, about 1–2 minutes; set aside.

Prep

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl whisk together 1/2 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Make batter

Whisk the egg into the dry mix, then slowly add the cold beer and ice water until a slightly thick but pourable batter forms. Keep batter cold—set over a bowl of ice if necessary.

Dredge & Fry

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). Dredge each shrimp lightly in a tablespoon of extra flour (if desired), then dip into the batter letting excess drip off. Carefully place shrimp into hot oil in batches that do not crowd. Fry until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate; sprinkle a light pinch of salt and a dusting of Cajun seasoning. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) while finishing remaining shrimp.

Soak

Place oysters in a bowl with buttermilk and optional hot sauce. Let sit 10 minutes to lightly flavor and firm the oysters.

Coat & Fry

Combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a shallow dish. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). Remove oysters from buttermilk, let excess drip, then dredge in the flour/cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Fry oysters in batches until golden and edges are crisp, about 2–3 minutes. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with Cajun seasoning. Keep warm while finishing.

Spread a generous layer (about 2–3 tbsp) of the chilled Cajun remoulade on both cut sides of each hoagie roll.

Place a layer of lettuce leaves on the bottom half of the roll, then arrange tomato slices and a few shaved red onion rings over the lettuce.

Pile the hot beer-battered shrimp or fried oysters on top of the vegetables (about 6 each per sandwich). If desired, add pickle slices.

Close sandwich, press gently, slice in half if desired, and serve immediately while the seafood is still hot and the bread is crisp.

Makes two sandwiches if using the quantities listed. Provide lemon wedges and extra remoulade on the side. For a spicier remoulade, increase cayenne by 0.25–0.5 tsp or add more hot sauce to taste.