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Seasonal Eats: Recipes for Mardi Gras, Easter, and Just Regular Winter-Into-Spring Days
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RECIPE: Fried Oyster Po’ Boys
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
This famous New Orleans sandwich specialty translates perfectly to any locale that has plentiful oysters. These crispy cornmeal-coated oysters are served with a jazzed-up mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato on a roll. In New Orleans, po’ boy makers use soft-crusted French bread.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 qt vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 dozen (or more) oysters, shucked
- Homemade tartar sauce (see below) or plain mayonnaise
- 8 brioche rolls or hot dog rolls
- Lettuce leaves
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1 tomato, sliced
The tartar sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsps capers, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsps relish
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a heavy pot or a fryer, add oil and heat to 375°F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. One at a time, dip the oysters into the egg mixture, then coat in the cornmeal mixture. Fry in small batches, until oysters are golden on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- If making tartar sauce: In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, capers, garlic, lemon juice, and relish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To assemble the po’ boy, slather the bottom bun with the tartar sauce or mayonnaise, and layer with lettuce, 2 oysters, a squeeze of lemon, tomato slice, and top with bun. Serve immediately.
