Poor Man's French Fry Po'Boy
Source of Recipe
From "Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches" by Emeril Lagasse
Recipe Introduction
"This po'boy is really just that...a poor man's po'boy. This sandwich was born from the need to feed a family with a meager amount of leftover roast beef and a few potatoes. However, the combination of homemade French fries, roast beef gravy, and melted Swiss cheese happens to be one of New Orleans' most beloved po'boys, a real manly man's sandwich. Give it a tryyou'll be a convert, too."
List of Ingredients
◦ 4 large russet or Kennebec potatoes (3 to 4 pounds), peeled and cut into -inch-wide x -inch-thick fries
◦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
◦ cup finely minced onion
◦ 2 tablespoons minced garlic
◦ 3 cups beef stock or packaged low-sodium beef broth
◦ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ 1 cup chopped leftover roast beef, preferably homemade
◦ Salt, to taste
◦ Peanut oil, for frying
◦ Four 6-inch lengths po'boy bread, or Italian or French bread (see Note)
◦ Mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
◦ 6 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
◦ Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Recipe
Rinse the potato batons well under cool running water until the water runs clear. Then place them in a large bowl and cover with ice water. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
Meanwhile, make the roast beef gravy: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring continuously, until a milk chocolate-colored roux is formed, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the beef stock, little by little, and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the pepper, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the sauce has reduced to a gravy consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the roast beef and season with salt. Cover the gravy and set it aside up to 1 week, refrigerated, until you are ready to serve the po'boys.
Fill a deep 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with a candy or deep-frying thermometer, or an electric deep-fryer, with peanut oil to a depth of 4 inches. Make sure that you have at least 3 inches of space between the top of the oil and the top of the pot, as the fries will bubble up when they are added. Heat the oil over medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 325 F.
Drain the ice water from the potatoes, wrap them in a clean dishcloth, and thoroughly pat them dry. Fry the potatoes in small batches in the hot oil, stirring them occasionally, until they are soft and limp and are beginning to turn blond, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, carefully transfer the potatoes to paper towels to drain. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours. Unless you are going to proceed, turn off the heat.
When you are ready to serve the po'boys, set the oven to broil and reheat the frying oil to 350 F. (Reheat the gravy if necessary.) Working in batches, return the potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, puffed and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the fries to a paper-towel-lined platter and season them with salt.
Halve the po'boy bread lengthwise and spread both sides generously with mayonnaise. Place the bottom halves of the bread on a baking sheet, and divide the fries evenly among them. Spoon some of the gravy over the fries, and then top with the Swiss cheese. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining bread. Serve immediately, with additional gravy for sopping and with hot sauce if desired.
Makes 4 sandwiches
❧ Note:
Traditional New Orleans po'boy loaves are airy, long French breads. If you cannot find po'boy bread in your area, substitute any long Italian or French bread loaves that are not too dense. If the only bread you can find is very dense, consider pinching out the center doughy portions so that your po'boy is not overly bready.
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