Emeril’s Classic Fried Shrimp Po’boys

Cajun-spiced shrimp are deep fried till crispy in this traditional NOLA seafood sandwich!

For my Supper Club‘s New Orleans/Mardi Gras dinner party, I knew I wanted to try making one of my favorite sandwiches at home.

Have you had a Po’boy sandwich? I’ve had them several ways, but deep fried always tastes better in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of not having fried food in my sandwiches sometimes, but the crunch is just soooo good in these.

Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients or the fact that you need to deep fry the shrimp. The spice blend comes together in a snap, and the shrimp fry up really quickly. Do it in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot and lower your oil temperature too much.

For our dinner, I doubled the recipe and then cut them into smaller sandwiches to serve a crowd. Plus we needed to have room for all the other dishes that night (plus the fabulous Pimm’s Cup cocktails!).

Just one note – Emeril says that the pickles are optional for this recipe, but I implore you to reconsider. The tanginess is so wonderful with the rest of the sandwich ingredients.

Not that I’m ever one to turn down an opportunity to add more pickles…

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Classic Fried Shrimp Po’boys

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Makes 2 sandwiches

Cajun-spiced shrimp are deep fried till crispy in this traditional NOLA seafood sandwich!

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 small French bread loaves, each about 10-inches long

4 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup mayonnaise, or more to taste

Red pepper sauce

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced

Sliced dill pickles, optional

Hot sauce, for serving, optional

Potato chips, for serving, optional (recommended: Zapp's)

For Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan or preheat a deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Essence, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour and cornmeal and season with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the Essence, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Dredge the shrimp in the seasoned flour mixture, coating the shrimp completely. Fry the shrimp in the hot oil, in batches if necessary, until golden brown, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with salt and hot sauce. Split the French bread loaves in half and brush both cut sides of the bread with some of the melted butter. Using a spatula, spread the mayonnaise on both sides of the bread, then sprinkle with hot sauce. Divide the shrimp evenly between the 2 sandwiches and garnish with the lettuce, tomato slices, sliced pickles and hot sauce, if desired. Serve with potato chips.
2. For Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning: Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Yield: 2/3 cup.

Notes

Recipe from Emeril Lagasse via Food Network

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

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