Abalone Po' Boy #OurFamilyTable

Today the From Our Dinner Table blogging group members are sharing seafood recipes. Hosts Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures and Heather of Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks wrote, "Are you crazy for crabs? Addicted to Ahi? This event is for you! Whether you do a Fish Friday or give up meat for Lent we could all use a little more recipes from the sea." As residents of a seaside town and members of a community-supported fishery, seafood is common on our table. I am always happy to add new seafood recipes for my rotation.

Today's Catch

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Shrimp Étouffée
• A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures: Spicy Mussels Provençal
• Cindy's Recipes and Writings: Salmon Croquettes
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Abalone Po' Boy
• Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks: Deviled Breadcrumb Fish with Bacon, Leeks, and Tomatoes
• Sweet Beginnings: Creamy Shrimp Piccata

Abalone Po' Boy

I wanted to share the history of the Po' Boy that I found because it's a great story. It's widely accepted that the sandwich was invented by brothers Clovis and Benjamin Martin who were streetcar drivers turned restaurant owners in the 1920s. When the other streetcar drivers went on strike, the Martins created an inexpensive sandwich of gravy and leftover beef pieces served on a crusty French roll and given out of the back of their restaurant. When a streetcar worker knocked on the back door, kitchen staffers would cry, "Here comes another po' boy!" The name stuck for the sandwich.

The Po'Boy is New Orleans' most famous sandwich that is typically made oysters. Not quite sure when it transitioned from leftover beef to oysters, but I've never heard of a beef po'boy. If you follow my blog, you'll know that - after a crazy evening in New Orleans nearly two decades ago - I developed a sensitivity to oysters. Half the time, now, I have an adverse reaction, so I don't often indulge in them.

Instead of the traditional oyster po' boy, I opted to create my own version made with local-to-me abalone from Real Good Fish, our community-supported fishery. The rice flour adds a little pliability to the coating, but still retains its crispness. If you have don't rice flour, use 1-1/2 C flour 1 C cornmeal and skip the rice. No worries!

Ingredients serves 4

Abalone

• 1 C flour
• 1 C cornmeal
• 1/2 C rice flour
• 2 t salt
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t paprika
• 1/2 t dried oregano
• 1/2 t dried thyme
• 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1 C buttermilk
• 12 abalone (cleaned and prepped)
• 2 T butter
• oil for cooking

Rémoulade

• 1 C mayonnaise
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and pressed
• 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemon because we have a tree)
• 1 T prepared horseradish
• 1 T whole grain mustard
• 2 t hot sauce
• 2 t Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 t celery seeds
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Finishing

• four 6" long rolls, split horizontally
• shredded lettuce
• sliced tomatoes
• dill pickles
• hot pepper sauce, optional

Procedure

Rémoulade
Mix all ingredients together. Set  aside.

Abalone
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Pour buttermilk in a bowl. And pour enough oil in the bottom of a pan to coat it in a 1/4" layer. Place butter in the oil and heat until melted. In the meantime, dredge abalone in the flour-spice mixture. Dip the abalone into the buttermilk, coating both sides. Return the abalone to the flour and turn to cover completely.

Place the abalone in the butter-oil mixture and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the abalone to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Finishing
Open rolls and smear the inside with rémoulade. Stuff the roll with lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. Place abalone on top. Serve immediately with hot sauce, if desired.