Fried Shiitake Po' Boys With New Orleans-Style Remoulade Recipe

By
Maggie Mariolis
Maggie Mariolis is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Mariolis

Maggie Mariolis is a freelance writer and recipe wrangler. A pastry gal by training, she spent three years at Food & Wine magazine.

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Updated March 05, 2019
20150902-shiitake-mushroom-poboys-vicky-wasik-5.jpg
Shiitake mushrooms make a seafood stand-in for po' boys that's so good, you won't miss the fish. . Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Getting the shiitake caps dripping wet before dredging ensures that the simple cornmeal–flour mixture clings to them.
  • Meaty, juicy, and tender shiitakes are the perfect fried-seafood stand-in.

We stuff this vegetarian twist on the iconic New Orleans sandwich with crispy, juicy, cornmeal-breaded shiitakes to substitute for the traditional fried seafood. A super-tangy remoulade sauce cuts through fat and inhibitions alike, getting you into the true, oops-one-too-many New Orleans spirit.

Recipe Details

Fried Shiitake Po' Boys With New Orleans-Style Remoulade Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

For the New Orleans-Style Remoulade:

  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon Creole or stone-ground mustard

  • 1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon

  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco

  • 4 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Mushrooms and Sandwiches:

  • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

  • 1 cup fine cornmeal

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed

  • 4 (6-inch) lengths soft baguette, split lengthwise (see note)

  • Shredded iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes, for serving

Directions

  1. For the New Orleans-Style Remoulade: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce, scallions, and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Makes about 1 cup; you can keep any leftover remoulade refrigerated in an airtight container and use it on sandwiches, as a dip, or on burgers.)

  2. For the Mushrooms and Sandwiches: Fill a large pot with at least 2 inches oil and heat to 360°F. Line a wire rack with a double layer of paper towels.

  3. In a pie plate or large shallow bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

  4. Wash 1/4 of the shiitake caps, and, while they are still dripping wet, dredge them in the cornmeal mixture.

  5. Carefully lower the shiitakes into the hot oil (after a moment, they will bubble furiously, then settle back down). Fry, turning, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes; adjust heat to maintain an oil temperature of 340 to 350°F. Using a wire strainer, transfer mushrooms to the lined wire rack to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining mushrooms, making sure they're very wet before dredging each time.

  6. Spread the top half of each baguette piece with a generous amount of remoulade and layer with iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Pile each bottom half with the fried shiitakes. Close the sandwiches and serve.

Notes

If you don't have access to true po' boy baguettes, but live near a Vietnamese banh mi shop, banh mi bread makes an excellent substitute.

Special Equipment

Wire rack

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
748Calories
49gFat
66gCarbs
14gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories748
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g63%
Saturated Fat 6g31%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 1321mg57%
Total Carbohydrate 66g24%
Dietary Fiber 7g25%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 6mg32%
Calcium 70mg5%
Iron 5mg27%
Potassium 605mg13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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