The 1/2 Shrimp and 1/2 Oyster Loaf was my mother’s all-time favorite thing to eat at the original LuLu’s. “Because how could you ever decide between a fried shrimp and a fried oyster sandwich?”
Admittedly, this is a complicated sandwich to make. It’s actually five recipes within the one.
In honor of Peets, I am gifting them all to you in this blog post!
Poboys are great for family gatherings or fun, casual house and dinner parties – both of which my mother was famous for.
If having a fry party is not in your cards, you can always come down to LuLu’s and let us make the ‘½ n ½’ for you. And you can enjoy a pretty sunset while you’re at it.
Just like mama did – as often as possible.
However, and whenever- ENJOY!
½ Shrimp and ½ Oyster Loaf
(or Poboy)
Makes 4 sandwiches
24 medium wild-caught Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ quart Gulf oysters
4 (8-inch) loaves, New Orleans style French bread, or 2 baguettes, each cut in half
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Mayonnaise
Creole mustard
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Pickle slices, store-bought, or Lucy’s Sweet and Sassy icebox pickles (recipe below)
Hot sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
2. Fry the shrimp and the oysters in batches following the recipes below. Place the cooked shrimp and oysters on a baking sheet uncovered in the oven to keep warm.
3. Slice the French bread loaves in half lengthwise, leaving one side intact like a hinge. This will help keep the sandwich from falling apart.
4. Spread a little butter on the inside surface of the French bread and toast. (I like to place mine face down on a warm skillet or grill.)
5. Spread mayonnaise on one side of the toasted bread and Creole mustard on the other side.
6. Layer lettuce, tomato slices, and pickles (if using) on the bottom side of the bread.
7. Top each sandwich bottom with fried shrimp on one half, using 5 to 6 shrimp per sandwich, and fried oysters on the other half, using about 4 oysters per sandwich.
8. Add a few dashes of hot sauce to taste.
Fried Shrimp
Serves 6
2 pounds, large, wild caught Gulf shrimp, peeled, with tails on or off according to your preference.
Flour power fry mix (recipe below)
2 cups whole milk
6 cups peanut, vegetable, or canola oil
1. Cut the back of the shrimp halfway to butterfly and remove the vein. Place the shrimp in a bowl with a little ice and set aside.
2. Put the fry mix in a medium bowl.
3. Put the milk in another medium bowl.
4. In a large heavy skillet (10 to 12 inches, preferably cast-iron), heat the oil over medium high heat until it registers 355°F on a candy / deep-fry thermometer, or until a little flour flicked into the oil sizzles.
5. Working with a few shrimps at a time, dredge them through the fry mix, then dip them into the milk, and then dredge them through the fry mix again.
6. Working in batches, gently drop the shrimp into the hot oil. Fry them until golden brown or until they float to the top, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the oil temperature around 355°F. Drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or on a wire rack and serve immediately.
Flour Power Fry Mix
Makes 2 cups
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons LuLu’s Crazy Creola seasoning or other Creole seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (see Note)
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Note: If using other Creole seasoning, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
Fried Gulf Oysters
Serves 4
Cornmeal fry mix (recipe below)
6 cups peanut, vegetable, or canola oil, or enough to fill a skillet about 2 inches, deep
1 quart Gulf oysters, drained
1. Put the fry mix in a medium bowl.
2. In a large heavy skillet (10 to 12 inches, preferably cast-iron), heat the oil over medium high heat until it registers 355°F on a candy / deep-fry thermometer, or until a little flour flicked into the oil sizzles.
3. Taking a few oysters at a time, dredge them through the fry mix, coating them thoroughly.
4. Working in batches, gently drop the oysters into the hot oil. Fry until golden, brown, turning once, or until they float to the top. Drain on a baking sheet, lined with paper towels or on a wire rack and serve immediately.
Cornmeal Fry Mix
Makes 2 cups
2 cups white all-purpose cornmeal
2 tablespoons LuLu’s Crazy Creola seasoning or other Creole seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (see Note)
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Note: If using other creole seasoning, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
Lucy‘s Sweet and Sassy Icebox Pickles
Makes 1 gallon
1 (1-gallon) jar whole kosher dill pickles
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
20 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise,
2/3 cup thin, half-moon slices peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup prepared or freshly grated horseradish
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Eight cinnamon sticks
4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1. Drain the pickles and chop them into 1/4-inch slices. Save the 1-gallon jar for storing the pickles later.
2. Place the pickles and the remaining ingredients in a big stainless-steel bowl or a large plastic container with an airtight lid.
3. Using your hands, toss it all together well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The pickles will reduce in volume, so the next day you can return them to the 1-gallon jar for easier storage.
4. Refrigerate the pickles for at least a week, turning them topsy-turvy every day. The pickles are ready when the sugar has dissolved, and all the dill flavor has vanished.
Note: These pickles will keep in the refrigerator indefinitely. I have canned them to make them shelf stable in order to give them as Christmas gifts. When I do, I remove the cinnamon sticks before placing the pickles in canning jars, because the heat from the hot water bath releases too much cinnamon flavor.
