Yesterday morning I asked Gary what he missed these days in our stay-in-place. I have asked this before since our move to Hawaii, and the usual response is Mi Cocina, our beloved Dallas Tex-Mex spot that was our go-to take-out on Sunday nights in our old Lakewood, East Dallas home.

Yesterday, however, an unusual response came, a New Orleans shrimp po’boy sandwich topped with spicy remoulade sauce. Thinking a bit, I said ok, I can make it happen if we can tweak it a bit. The shrimp would need to be grilled instead of fried, and we only had lettuce instead of cabbage, a usual base for the sandwich, but I had a soft and chewy French loaf of bread in the freezer, I had just made and jarred some sweet and sour pickles, we always have lots of mustards on hand, and a spice cabinet full of Cajun flavors, in other words, I knew I could do it.

The classic French sauce, remoulade, was made famous in New Orleans as an accompaniment to Cajun boiled Gulf shrimp or lump crab cakes. We have enjoyed many plates of shrimp and crab dressed with the spicy sauce at the historic Arnaud’s Restaurant, after sipping dirty martinis at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. This is old New Orleans, a city that we both love and celebrate. We will see you again. For now though, Gary enjoyed a tasty version of the city’s favorite sandwich, and I dressed a plate of grilled shrimp and creamy avocado with the heavily spiced sauce. #Enjoy

Recipe:

Shrimp Po’Boy Sandwich with Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients for the sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise (we used light)
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (adds a bit more creaminess with a tangy note, not traditional though)
2 tablespoons spicy brown or creole mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (you can use regular yellow mustard instead, as well)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green onion, minced
1 celery rib, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped capers
4 or 5 sweet or dill pickle chips, chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish sauce
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (or to your taste)
2 big dashes hot sauce (to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper

For the shrimp:
Ingredients
8-10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

For the sandwich:
French bread, about a six inch long slice, cut in half
olive oil or cooking spray
8-10 Grilled Shrimp
Remoulade sauce
5 or 6 sweet or dill pickle slices
a sprinkle of chopped lettuce, tomato, and avocado, if desired to accompany the shrimp

Preparation:
Start with the remoulade sauce so the ingredients have time to meld and marry together. Simply, add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Adjust your seasonings and heat to your taste. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Add the shrimp to a small bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Marinade the shrimp with the olive oil, garlic, and lemon. Place in the fridge until ready to use. Heat the grill to medium-low. Cut the bread in half, brush with a bit of olive oil, and lay cut side down on the grill and grill for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. Using a grill rack, or you can skewer the shrimp so your shrimp don’t fall through your grill grates, place the marinated shrimp over the heat and grill on each side for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Brush each side of your bread with 1 – 2 tablespoons of the remoulade sauce. Top with the shrimp, and then the lettuce, tomato, avocado, and finish with the pickle slices. Serve with a bit of each sauce on the side for dipping.