Oyster (Mushroom)Po’ Boy
There are no bounds to the flavorful, creative, bold foods that have come from Louisiana Creole cuisine. Things like gumbo, crawfish etouffee, beignets, and oysters Rockefeller all might come to mind (and are all ridiculously delicious), but one of the most loved, most commonly found, and most easily made, is the Po’ Boy.
If you’re new to the Po’ Boy, think warm french bread, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles & mayonnaise (or a rémoulade), and the fried food of your choice. What’s not to like? And, as the name suggests, this sando isn’t just easy to make, but typically inexpensive as well.
Traditionally these are filled with things like shrimp, chicken, boudin, or oysters, but today we bring you the oyster mushroom Po’ Boy. Fried crisp with a light breading, these crispy tender nuggets compliment this age-old sandwich SO well, and are perfect for vegetarians, vegans, and fungi-enthusiasts alike!
Ingredients
Makes 2 sandwiches
1 loaf of french bread: other soft long bread (like Italian loves or soft baguettes) will work but may need to be lightly baked in the oven to crisp up the exterior
~10oz oyster mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms: both fry up wonderfully and become tender once cooked. If you’re using oyster mushrooms, tear the clump down along the stem so you have several small caps still connected. If you’re using shiitake mushrooms, cut each cap into ¼-½” slices.
¼ head of iceberg lettuce: thinly sliced
1 medium tomato: thinly sliced
For the Rémoulade Sauce
1 medium/large pickle: finely diced
½ cup mayonnaise or Vegan mayonnaise alternative
½ lemon: juiced
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp hot sauce: Louisiana style preferred!
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp worcestershire sauce: optional!
For Frying
Neutral oil: make sure it can take high heat, like canola, peanut, sunflower, or vegetable oil. You’ll want enough to fill a small heavy-bottomed pot 3-4 inches high.
3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
¾ cup fine bread crumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp white pepper
1 egg: whisked with a splash of cold water. You may want a back-up in case you run out. You may also substitute this with a flour-slurry if you choose to go vegan! The flour slurry can be made from ¼ cup of flour and enough water to give it the consistency of a thin pancake batter.
Preparation
Thinly slice your lettuce and tomatoes and set aside.
Mix all of the ingredients for your remoulade sauce and set aside.
Slice/tear your mushrooms and set aside.
Prepare the dry dredge for you frying: mix the flour, bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and white pepper, in a medium/large bowl.
Prepare your wet dredge (whisked egg or flour-slurry) in a medium bowl.
Add your oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to around 350ºF.
Once your oil is hot, one by one, place a piece of mushroom in the wet dredge, shake off excess, and drop in the dry dredge, thoroughly coating each side until no wet spots show (I find it’s easiest to drop it into the bowl, scoop a small pile of the dry dredge over the top of the exposed side, and gently pat down). Then carefully place your mushroom piece in the hot oil and fry on each side for around 1-1 ½ minutes (or until it’s a deep golden brown). You can place several pieces in at once, just don’t overcrowd the pot! Once the mushrooms are done frying, place them on a wire rack to cool.
While your mushrooms are frying, cut your bread (into roughly 8-10” sections, then sliced down the middle), and toast.
Once all of your mushrooms are fried and your bread is toasted, assemble! On one piece of bread, place a bed of lettuce and shingle your tomatoes on top. Then carefully arrange your fried mushrooms on top of those. On the side of the bread, smear a generous portion of the remoulade. Then crown your sando and enjoy!
Best Practices:
As always:
Make sure to opt for food packaged in recyclable containers, or, better yet, not packaged at all. Mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, and lemons can often be found without any additional packaging. As for the oil, mustard, mayonnaise, and pickles, try to choose options with recyclable containers (like glass or specific types of plastic) if possible!
If you need to buy any new spices for this, try to source your spices from sustainable producers!
Try to bring your own reusable bags when you go shopping for these ingredients, and choose grocery store chains that are engaged in their community.
These ingredients have been chosen with several things in mind:
The majority of these ingredients can be sourced locally! Mushrooms, lettuce, lemons, and tomatoes can all be found at local markets, your bread can be found at local bakeries, and even pickles can be sourced from local producers!
Traditionally, Po’ Boys have been made with various proteins like chicken, boudin, roast beef, shrimp, oysters, and other meats and seafood. While this recipe does stray from tradition in that sense, it works to both respect the original intention of this sandwich and look toward new and inclusive avenues so more people can experience and enjoy this staple of Louisiana Creole cuisine! While there are some options for sustainable seafood, this version also goes for a more plant-based approach, which means it has a smaller carbon footprint than versions that are mostly meat.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know! If you really loved it, share it on social media and tag us (@groundedgrub), or, better yet, share it with your friends and family!