Fried Shrimp Po' Boy with Creole Remoulade
Crispy fried prawns, peppery remoulade and crunchy salad in a soft French stick — a proper New Orleans-style sandwich.
A proper Po' Boy is all about contrast — crunchy, seasoned fried prawns nestled in soft, slightly crisp bread with a punchy remoulade. This version keeps things simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for guests.
Make it when you fancy something deep-fried and messy: perfect for casual sharing, a summer barbecue or a lazy weekend supper. The remoulade lifts the whole sandwich, so don’t skimp on it — it’s the heartbeat of the filling.
Ingredients
- 2 soft white baguette — 30 cm each, split lengthways to make 4 sandwiches
- 600 g raw king prawns — peeled and deveined, tails on or off as preferred
- 200 ml buttermilk — for a light marinade
- 180 g plain flour — for dredging
- 40 g cornflour — adds extra crunch
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml cayenne pepper — adjust to taste
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 1 l vegetable oil — for deep frying
- 30 g unsalted butter — to butter and toast the bread
- 150 g mayonnaise — for remoulade
- 30 ml Creole mustard
- 1 lemon — juice and wedges to serve
- 5 ml garlic powder
- 1 iceberg lettuce — small head, shredded
- 2 vine-ripened tomato — medium, sliced
- 8 gherkin slices
- 5 ml hot sauce — optional; Louisiana-style if available
Equipment
- deep-fry thermometer
- slotted spoon
- tongs
- baking tray
Instructions
Make the Creole remoulade: in a bowl whisk together mayonnaise, Creole mustard, juice of half the lemon, garlic powder, smoked paprika, hot sauce (if using), and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust. Chill while you prepare the prawns.
Place the prawns in a shallow dish, season with a little sea salt, then pour over the buttermilk and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to tenderise and help the coating adhere.
While the prawns marinate, make the seasoned flour: in a wide bowl combine plain flour, cornflour, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, a pinch of sea salt and a grind of black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan until it reaches 180°C on a deep-fry thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of the flour mixture — it should sizzle immediately.
Remove the prawns from the buttermilk in batches, let excess drip off and pat lightly with kitchen paper. Dredge each prawn thoroughly in the seasoned flour, pressing the flour onto the surface so it adheres.
Fry the prawns in batches: carefully lower a handful into the oil, do not overcrowd, and fry for 2–3 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Bring the oil back to 180°C between batches.
Split the baguettes and spread the cut sides lightly with unsalted butter. Place under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes until just golden and crisp — watch carefully to avoid burning.
Assemble each sandwich: spread a generous layer of remoulade on both cut sides of the warm bread, add a layer of shredded iceberg lettuce, two or three tomato slices, two gherkin slices, pile on the hot fried prawns and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Serve immediately while the prawns are hot and crisp. Offer extra remoulade and lemon wedges at the table.
Tips
- If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, heat oil to a medium–high heat and test with a small piece of the flour mix — it should sizzle vigorously but not smoke.
- Press the flour onto each prawn so the coating sticks; wet batter won't give the same crisp texture.
- Cook in small batches and let oil return to 180°C between batches to keep an even, golden crust.
- Make the remoulade a day ahead — flavours deepen in the fridge. Keep prawns and bread separate until serving for maximum crunch.
- Leftover fried prawns lose crispness quickly; store components separately and reheat prawns under a hot grill for 3–4 minutes to revive crunch.
Substitutions
raw king prawns → oysters, lightly floured and fried (same quantity by weight)
Noticeably differentbuttermilk → 200 ml milk stirred with 1 tbsp lemon juice, left 10 minutes to sour
Stays closeCreole mustard → Dijon mustard (same quantity)
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend (same quantity)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1136
- Calories
- 47 g
- Protein
- 111 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 1500 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake instead of deep-frying?
You can oven-bake coated prawns at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 12–15 minutes, turning once, but they won’t be as crunchy as deep-fried.
How do I keep the sandwich from going soggy?
Toast the bread, spread remoulade sparingly, and assemble just before serving. Keep fried prawns on kitchen paper until ready to build.
Can I make this ahead?
Make the remoulade 24 hours ahead. Marinate prawns up to 30 minutes only and fry just before serving; components keep better separately.
How do I tell when prawns are cooked?
Cooked prawns turn opaque and pink and curl slightly into a loose 'C'. Overcooking makes them rubbery, so stick to 2–3 minutes per batch.
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