New orleans poboy 2

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient

Directions

Continued from New Orleans Poboy 1 It is not uncommon for people living in New Orleans to have grown up with the belief that all French Bread must be toasted before being consumed. This ties in to one of the stories of how the name Po-Boy became synonymous with French bread. Because the bread was cheaply produced and plentiful, it was always the most inexpensive bread to purchase. The loaf itself became known as a Po-Boy because of its ability to feed many mouths cheaply during frequent times of economic hardship. Because of its hard outer shell, French bread tended to keep better than other breads when stored in typical old-fashioned wooden bread boxes over several days. Although no longer useful for great Po-Boys, it could, if necessary, still be used to produce inexpensive sandwiches or dipped in another famous New Orleans beverage, Cafe au lait. (Coffee and Chicory mixed with hot milk and sugar). French bread was frequently consumed at breakfast, and therefore was easy to toast on the old black cast-iron pot-belly stoves that were common in many of the historic New Orleans homes. It is time now to discuss the typical methods of constructing a New Orleans-style Po-Boy. There are no real rigid rules cut by a stiletto or machete into the side of a towering moss-covered oak, that one may find anchored against some bank on a long forgotten bayou. A few, however, may argue that their particular families have been making sandwiches a certain way for the last two hundred years. So, if there are any traditions, they may boil down to some variations of the following. For a seafood Po-Boy, butter will probably be used or suggested in place of a dressing like mayonnaise.

Whatever dressing is used, it should always coat at least the condiment side of the bread. Preferentially, in my opinion, it should coat both sides. New Orleans has two traditional Po-Boy meat favorites. The Roast Beef Po-Boy, fully dressed, and Baked Ham Po-Boy, usually served with freshly sliced Swiss cheese and creole or brown mustard. Ummmmmmm! The Baked Ham and Swiss Po-Boy is frequently served with the Swiss grilled or melted on top. I can almost taste them now! Traditional french bread has a noticeable top and bottom, determined by which side of the bread was lying on the baking tray.

This obviously results in a flat bottom and rounded top. The bottom piece should have the condiments, properly layered; and the top piece should have the meat. Anything else is an upside down or non-traditional method of construction. If mayonnaise is used, there are some very important considerations. A mayonnaise can make or break a good Po-Boy. The mayo must be thick and tangy, but not as sweet as a typical salad dressing such as Miracle Whip. My wife once patiently tasted over seventy brands of mayo before selecting one that was just right for her Cafe. It was a product made in Texas called "Captain's Table". She is still using it today. The mayo should be spread thicker on the flat side where it will eventually mix in with the condiments. In New Orleans, the word "dressed" usually means freshly torn lettuce, sliced Creole (locally grown - first spring) tomatoes and dill pickle slivers. Again, the word "dressed" has no real fixed meaning. Some customers will ask for their Po-Boy to be "dragged through the garden", implying a little bit of everything. The lettuce should go on first, lying over the mayo, followed by the tomato slices, then the pickle. The meat is layered over the top side of the sandwich, and then the two pieces are finally brought together. If a mustard is suggested, it should be spread between the upper bread slice and the meat. If a cheese is suggested, it should lie between the mustard and meat. A decent serving in New Orleans is generally on a piece of bread about 8 to 10 inches in length. The Po-Boy is then cross-cut on a diagonal in order to expose more of the tasty contents and allow for quicker, bigger, eager bites! When the entire length of French bread is used uncut to make a Po-Boy, it is referred to as a Po-Boy "Loaf". Because New Orleans is a port city surrounded by water, seafood is usually in abundance all year round. Oysters, Lake Shrimp, Soft Shell Crabs and many varieties of fish are frequently found on French bread Po-Boy sandwiches. These Po-Boys are frequently eaten with the seafood battered and then deep-fat fried with nothing more than butter on the bread, with a few nearby twists of lemon used to sprinkle to taste.

My own personal preference is to eat my seafood Po-Boys fully dressed. Ketchup and red hot pepper sauce are also requested table additions. My wife's cafe serves a great kosher pastrami or corned beef that goes great on French bread with a little yellow or brown mustard. Sausages are a real favorite too. The three New Orleans favorites are Italian, Smoked Pork and Hot Pork Sausage. Sliced turkey breast, tuna and chicken salads are also frequently requested by those concerned with healthy diets, but still looking for great taste. Well, hopefully it won't be long before you are visiting our wonderful city and biting into one of this City's great Po-Boy treats. Until then, Bon Appetit! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- This article and or file may be copied and re-distributed without compensation to the author as long as no profits are generated through its re-distribution or sale and it is used in its entirety.

All opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author; and neither will the author be liable for the use of any information supplied therein. Gary M. Raymond [70613,3165] -[30]- Submitted By SAM LEFKOWITZ On 10-18-94

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