Bryant Terry’s Cornmeal-Fried Oyster Mushroom Po’Boy
Bryant Terry’s Cornmeal-Fried Oyster Mushroom Po’Boy
PrintIngredients
For the Cornmeal-Fried Oyster Mushroom Po’Boy:
- 3 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds
- 3 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 cups water (or more as needed)
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. kosher salt plus more, to taste
- Safflower oil, for frying
- 1 lb. oyster mushrooms, tough ends removed, torn into generous bite-size pieces
- 2 15-inch loaves soft-crusted French or Italian bread
- Creole Rémoulade, for dressing (recipe follows)
- 2 cups Memphis Coleslaw (recipe follows)
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- Crystal hot sauce
For the Creole Rémoulade:
- 3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Creole-style mustard or other whole-grain mustard
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped drained capers
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped gherkins
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Memphis Coleslaw:
- 1/2 small green cabbage (about 1 lb.), cored and coarsely chopped
- 1/8 small red cabbage (about 1/4 lb.), cored and coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp. kosher salt plus more, to taste
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated carrot
- 1 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. raw cane sugar
- 1/4 tsp. molasses
- 1/4 tsp. whole-grain mustard
- 1/3 tsp. celery seeds
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Cornmeal-Fried Oyster Mushroom Po’Boy:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flaxseeds and 3 tablespoonfuls of the water with a fork.
- Add the rice flour, arrowroot powder, cornmeal, pepper, and 2 teaspoonfuls of the salt to the flax mixture and stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 cups of the water and mix well.
- Fill a Dutch oven or wok with safflower oil to a depth of about 2 inches and warm to 350°F over medium-high heat. Heat the oven to 200°F. Line a platter with paper towels.
- When the oil is hot, in three or four batches, dip the mushrooms in the batter and toss to coat well. Carefully transfer to the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. (If needed, gently agitate with a slotted spoon to separate any that begin to stick together.) Use the slotted spoon to trans¬fer to the platter, season lightly with salt, then place in the warm oven. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms, adding more water to the batter as needed.
- While the mushrooms are frying, halve the bread horizontally then crosswise and lightly toast.
- Spread the cut sides of the bread generously with the rémoulade and top the bottom halves evenly with the coleslaw. Add a generous handful of the mushrooms, sprin¬kle with white pepper, and douse with hot sauce. Cover with the top halves of the bread and enjoy.
For the Creole Rémoulade:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. The rémoulade will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator.
For the Memphis Coleslaw:
- Combine all the chopped cabbage and the salt in a large bowl. With clean hands, massage until soft and wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander set in the sink and rinse out the bowl. Put a plate on top to weigh it down and let it sit for 1 hour.
- Rinse the cabbage under cold water then transfer back to the bowl. Add the carrot, bell pepper, and onion and mix well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegars, sugar, molasses, and mustard. Pour just enough of the dressing into the bowl to moisten the cabbage and mix well. Add the celery seeds, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Bring to room temperature and toss well before serving, adding a bit more dressing if desired.
Makes 4 sandwiches
Adapted and published by permission of Bryant Terry.
