Fried Shrimp Po' Boy

Ingredients

• 700 g (1 1/2 lb) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• About 1 liter peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 loaf New Orleans-style French bread, cut into 4 sandwich sections
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles
• Extra hot sauce, for serving

Before you cook

• Combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl, add the shrimp, and let them soak for at least 15 minutes
• In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and salt
• Stir the lemon juice into the mayonnaise in a small bowl to make the sandwich spread
• Slice the tomato and set it aside with the shredded lettuce and pickles
• Cut the French bread into 4 sandwich-length sections and split each lengthwise without cutting all the way through

Steps

1. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot so it's about 5 cm (2 inches) deep and heat it to 175°C (350°F)
2. Lift the shrimp out of the buttermilk a few at a time, letting the excess drip off
3. Press each shrimp into the cornmeal mixture, coating it fully on all sides, and set it on a tray
4. Once the oil is hot, carefully lower a batch of shrimp in without crowding the pot
5. Fry the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and crisp, turning once if needed
6. Lift the shrimp out with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper-towel-lined plate
7. Bring the oil back up to temperature and repeat with the remaining shrimp in batches
8. Sprinkle the fried shrimp lightly with salt while they're still hot
9. Open the sections of French bread and spread the lemon mayonnaise generously on both cut sides
10. Layer shredded lettuce onto the bottom half of each section
11. Lay slices of tomato and pickle over the lettuce
12. Pile the hot fried shrimp on top
13. Close each sandwich, press down gently, and serve right away with extra hot sauce on the side