The Southern Po' Boy Cookbook (10 page)

4}
  Spoon 1 pound of the beef into each loaf, and drizzle sauce over the top. Close the loaves, and slice each in 2 to 3 sections to serve. Save the leftover beef for more sandwiches.

THE JOSEPHINE

Creole-Style Sloppy Joe Po’ Girl

Did you know that NOLA’s Leidenheimer Baking Company produces one million pounds of genuine po’ boy bread annually? And their delivery trucks are marked with slogans like, “Sink ya teeth into a piece of New Orleans cultcha,” or “There’s no SUBstitute for a REAL New Orleans Po’ Boy.”

Serves 2 to 3

Sloppy Joe

1 pound ground sirloin beef

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

1/8 cup finely diced jalapeño chile pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 cup ketchup

3 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon Creole mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup water

Assembly

1 (12-inch) loaf French bread, split nearly apart

2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 medium tomato, sliced

sliced dill pickles

1}
  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain off the fat if necessary. Stir the salt, pepper, Cajun or Creole seasoning, ketchup, brown sugar, Creole mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and water into the ground beef mixture, making sure to combine well. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

2}
  Spread mayonnaise on both sides of the bread, and line the bottom half of the loaf with the lettuce, tomato, and pickle. Pile on the meat mixture, close the sandwich, and cut into 2 to 3 sections to serve.

THE PLAQUEMINES

Turkey and Stuffing Thanksgiving Po’ Boy

This is what to do with all those delicious Turkey Day leftovers! You’ll give thanks for this Crescent City culinary creation, long after the third Thursday in November has come and gone.

Serves 2

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 (12-inch) loaf French bread, split

2 tablespoons mustard

3/4 cups cranberry sauce

1 to 1-1/2 pounds turkey meat

1-1/2 cups stuffing

1/2 cup giblet gravy

1}
  Spread the mayonnaise on the bottom half of the bread and mustard on the top. Spread the cranberry sauce across the bottom half of the bread. Layer the turkey meat and stuffing over the cranberry sauce. Drizzle the gravy over the dressing, close the sandwich, cut into 2 sections, and serve.

THE LAFAYETTE

Boudin Po’ Boy

Acadiana (Cajun French; l’Acadiane) is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that is home to a large Cajun/Francophone population. Of the 64 parishes that make up the state of Louisiana, 22 named parishes are in this region. Boudin blanc is the traditional boudin of the area, and it’s also the one most widely consumed. Also popular are alligator boudin, crawfish boudin, and seafood boudin consisting of crab, shrimp, and rice. Be a genuine swamp person, and
geaux
get you some real Cajun Boudin, the sausage of Acadiana, at
www.cajungrocer.com
.

Serves 2

4 (4-ounce) links boudin

4 (1-ounce) slices pepper jack cheese

2 (6-inch) French rolls, split

1}
  To steam-cook the boudin, place the links in a steamer basket set over a pot of boiling water. Steam for 3 to 5 minutes on high heat, then turn heat down to low and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Turn off the heat and let the sausage stand for 2 minutes.

2}
  Place the cheese on the bread and place under the oven broiler until it is melted. Unwrap the boudin, split and remove the casing, and place the link on the bread. Serve immediately.

THE PHILLY

The Rib Eye Steak Mississippi Po’ Boy

This one comes from a friend in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and it’s certain to be blasphemous and pure sacrilege in the other Philadelphia, but we like it just fine down here.

Serves 4

1 large clove garlic, cut in half

2 choice rib eye steaks, 3/4 inch thick

1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise with core, seeds, and membrane removed.

1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

4 (6-inch) hoagie or club rolls, split nearly apart

8 (1-ounce) slices provolone cheese, quartered

1}
  Spray the grate of an outdoor grill and utensils with nonstick spray, and preheat the grill to high. Meanwhile, rub the garlic all over the steak, and season both sides with the Cajun or Creole seasoning and black pepper.

2}
  Place the steak, bell pepper, and onion on the heated grill. Cook the steak for 3 minutes on one side and then 3 minutes on the other for a medium-rare steak (internal temperature 130°F) or 5 minutes per side for medium (140°F). Remove from the grill, cover with foil to keep warm, and let stand for 10 minutes.

3}
  While you’re cooking the steaks also grill the vegetables until the pepper is slightly blackened and the onion is tender. Remove the onions from the grill to a cutting board. Place the bell pepper in a plastic bag, and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes until the skin loosens and is cool enough to handle. Peel the skin from the pepper, and cut it and the onion into thin strips.

4}
  Place the rolls on the grill face side down, and toast until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the bread if the grate is still very hot. Carve the steak into thin slices, place on the bread, and top with bell pepper, onion, and cheese. Put the po’ boy on the grill over indirect heat (not directly over the coals). Cover the grill for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted. You can also melt the cheese under the oven broiler. Close the rolls, and serve immediately.

THE METAIRIE

Red Bean and Andouille Sausage Po’ Boy

Monday means red beans and rice, and on Tuesday they taste twice as nice! Here’s a nontraditional take on a classic NOLA meal. You’ll probably have some beans left over so, cook you up some rice tomorrow or the next day and have yourself some more beans. You know what they always say, “dey better da second day, cher!” Cher is an endearing Cajun word that is often used in place of “dear.”

Serves 2

1 pound dried red beans

8 ounces shredded pork (see directions for cooking a larger pork roast)

1 teaspoon olive oil or bacon drippings

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 ribs celery, diced

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

4 cups water

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 pound andouille sausage

1 (12-inch) loaf French bread, split nearly apart

Creole mustard

1}
  Soak the red beans overnight in a bowl of water, remove any floating beans, and then rinse and drain.

2}
  To get 8 ounces of shredded pork, cook a pork roast of the desired size in a crock pot on low for the length of time recommended in the appliance directions. Once the pork has finished cooking, shred the whole roast or just 8 ounces of it with two forks. Use the rest for a meal or leftovers.

3}
  In a sauté pan over medium-high, heat the oil or bacon drippings. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot over high heat, bring the drained beans and 4 cups fresh water to a boil. As the water reaches a boil, the vegetables should be finished. Add them to the boiling pot. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Then stir in the shredded pork, crushed red peppers, and Cajun or Creole seasoning, and simmer for another 45 minutes.

4}
  Remove a cup of the red beans, mash them, and return them to the pot to cook for another 30 minutes. During this last half hour, check the red beans. If water remains in the pot, mash up some more beans and blend them in. Right before serving, stir in the parsley.

5}
  Split the sausage down the center, and butterfly it (spread it out flat). In a large skillet over medium-high heat, pan-fry the sausage until cooked through, about 8 minutes on each side.

6}
  Place the sausage on the bread. Top with the thickened red bean mixture, and top with Creole mustard. Cut into 2 sections, and serve immediately.