hot catfish po'boy + bread & butter remoulade

...because I did a cooking demo at Essence Festival with Coca Cola!!

my po'boy

Hiiii guys! (my hot saucies)

I’m back from Essence and still not really recovered because we were going non stop but good fucking times!

This is my second year back at Essence Fest doing a cooking demo as MYSELF which is so wild and so just so full circle moment. If you don’t know, I was actually in multicultural marketing for 10+ years (while pursuing food on the side with my food blog) and I actually worked Essence Fest at my old jobs - Allied Integrated Marketing & Team Epiphany so this is like my 6th Essence Fest!

Team Epiphany actually bought me back to do a cooking demo with Coca-Cola and it was so great. This year was the 30th anniversary of Essence Fest so of course I bought my bff, Ash up there to do the cooking demo with me because Essence is all about sisterhood and that is my sister! Ash came with me last year (her first Essence) and we had such a great time so it’s def our annual thing now…God willing if I go back next year!

Anyway, I made a HOT catfish po’boy for my demo and wanted to give you guys this recipe!

A little fun fact: The po’boy was invented in 1929 by The Martin Brothers. They essentially were restauranteurs but before starting their restaurant/coffee shop they were street car conductors. In 1929 there was a street car strike and they decided to support their fellow streetcar strikers by feed the “poor boys” ….PO’BOYS! Get it!?

The sandwiches got their name because every time a striker would come over to get a sandwich the brothers would say “here come one of them poor boys”. Obvi, because they weren’t working so that’s how the name came about!!

There you have it! Anyway, if you make this enjoy and PLEASE do yourself a favor and go to Essence next year with your girls!

Nola on film with my girls!

Tangy Hot Pepper Sauce (makes 1-2 cups)

• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup ketchup

• ¼ cup dark brown sugar

• ¼ cup hot sauce

  • I would use a pepper forward hot sauce! Scotch Boyz, Tapatio, Cholula…not like tabasco that is very vinegary

• 1 teaspoon cajun rub

• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt & black pepper

Catfish Prep (Serves 2)

• 2 pieces of catfish filets

• 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

• ¼ cup yellow mustard

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal

• kosher salt & pepper

• french bread

• L & T- butter lettuce or romaine & tomato for po’boy

• vegetable oil for frying

Bread & Butter Pickle Remoulade (makes 1 cup)

• 1/2 cup of mayo

• 1 tablespoon capers

• 1/2 cup of bread & butter pickles

• 1 small shallot, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

• dashes hot sauce (I like Crystals)

• 2 green onion stalks, chopped

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In separate bowls, add the cornmeal, your favorite cajun seasoning, salt & pepper

2. Brush the fish with yellow mustard then dip it in the cornmeal cajun seasoning.

3. You want to dip your catfish in the egg mixture first then in the cornmeal mixture. To get a good crunchy catfish you want to go heavy on the cornmeal!

4. Pour some vegetable oil in a cast iron pan on medium heat. Fry the catfish on each side for about 3 minutes until done. transfer catfish to a paper towel to drain excess oil.

5. Serve on crusty french bread with L & T, drizzle over the hot sauce dip and lots of remoulade!

The Remoulade:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. season with salt & pepper and taste to adjust.

Tangy Hot Pepper Sauce

1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan and let simmer for 10 minutes

Tools

• dry brush

• cast iron skillet

• sauce pan

• tongs