BARRY SAYS: When it comes to eating at my house, I have never denied that I am spoiled. Cooking is what Kelley does for fun and to relax, so we eat well just about every meal. Which makes it kind of unusual when she surprises even herself. It's even more unusual when she giggles after taking a bite of something she makes. She giggled with this sandwich.
KELLEY SAYS: It was really good. The smoke flavor, the tender shrimp, the tartness of the slaw, the crunch of the bread and the pepper jam it was just about perfect.
BARRY: No argument here. It was amazing. I don't think we made it to the table. We ate every bite standing over the cutting board seconds after it was prepared.
KELLEY: My inspiration for this sandwich was a New Orleans Po'Boy. I wanted to do something with shrimp, but nothing fried. It turned out better than I expected. With the number of shrimp we had, we only made 1 1/2 sandwiches. Next time I would buy 16 to 20 shrimp to get more. Basically, this only serves two people. Double the ingredients if you are making it for four people.
BARRY: There was nothing po' about this sandwich. It was outstanding.
My inspiration for this sandwich was a New Orleans Po'Boy.Shrimp Po'Boy
Shrimp Marinade:
1 pound large shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons mango chipotle seasoning
Mix above ingredients and let marinate for about 4 hours.
Slaw:
1/2 head cabbage
4 whole jalapenos
2 green onions sliced
Mix above and set aside.
Cucumber Mix:
1/2 hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 white onion
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped dill
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon coriander seed
Over low heat, mix vinegar, sugar, seeds and salt until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture over the cucumber and onions and let it sit until ready to serve.
The Mayonnaise:
3/4 cup mayonnaise (your favorite)
2-3 chipotle peppers with sauce
3 green onions sliced
Mix mayo and peppers in small food processor until blended. Add green onions and set aside.
The Bread:
2 French batards
Terrapin Ridge Hot Pepper Bacon Jam (or your favorite)
Butter, melted
If you have a smoker, get your fire started and wood chips going. When ready, smoke the shrimp until done, about 30-45 minutes. You don't want to overcook the shrimp to the point of drying out. Just keep checking them. We also cooked ours on a Himalayan salt block that we had gotten as a gift, which added a salty flavor.
If you don't have a smoker, cook the shrimp in your favorite way.
Once the shrimp are done, you are ready to assemble.
Split one of the batards in half. Take the melted butter and spread it over both sides, then toast buttered-side down until slightly browned. Spread one side with your cucumber mixture. Spread the other side with the bacon jam. Place the shrimp on top of the jam, then spread the slaw mixture over shrimp. Top it with the mayo, fold both halves together, cut in half and enjoy.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.