50 States Sandwich Challenge: Mississippi

The Shrimp Po'Boy is so New Orleans that I'm almost offended that it was selected as the Mississippi sandwich.  Though the entire Gulf Coast can claim shrimp as their primary sandwich filling, the Shrimp Po'Boy began popping up in New Orleans in the late 19th century, originally called La Médiatrice, or the peacemaker.  In 1929, the workers at the streetcar company in New Orleans went on a four-month strike during which former streetcar conductor turned restauranteurs Benny and Clovis Martin began feeding their former colleagues free sandwiches will on the picket line.  The restaurant began referring to these workers as "another poor boy" when they would come for their lunch, and thus, the term Po'Boy stuck with the sandwich ever since.  Like most of these sandwiches, I'm learning that they become more regionally based than one original location, which I suppose allows Mississippi to take this one over (since Louisiana already had the Muffalletta).  Still, this is a New Orleans staple and if you ever travel again and find yourself there you cannot leave the city without getting one and always make sure it's "dressed." 

Ingredients:

1 pound medium peeled and deveined shrimp

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup Crystal hot sauce, divided

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup mayonnaise

Vegetable oil, for frying

Two 10-inch po'boy rolls or French hero rolls, halved lengthwise

1 beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp in the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce and ½ tablespoon of the salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. In another medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ tablespoon of salt with the flour, cornmeal, cayenne, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and pepper, and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce with the mayonnaise until smooth, and set aside.

4.  In a medium Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil to 350° and line a plate with paper towels. Drain the shrimp well before tossing them in the flour mixture to coat well.

5. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden brown and cooked through, 1 minute. Using a metal spider, transfer the shrimp to the prepared plate to drain, immediately seasoning with salt. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.

6. Spread the mayonnaise mixture on both halves of the rolls. On the bottom halves, divide the fried shrimp, top with the sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and pickles.  This makes it fully dressed.