Jack Stein has saltwater running through his veins. The chef and restaurateur is the son of one of the UK’s biggest champions of seafood, Rick Stein – but has carved out a career in the world of fish, crustaceans and molluscs in his own right, leading a slate of restaurants celebrating fruits de mer. He’s the kind of guy you can trust to show you how to make the most of seafood. Like this po’ boy, a classic sandwich from the US state of Louisiana.
“At its heart, it is a simple handheld seafood sandwich,” Stein tells Broadsheet. “Good bread, fried seafood, something sharp, something creamy. It is meant to be eaten with your hands. It is generous, direct and unfussy.”
While po’ boys can be made with an array of fried seafood, including shrimp, oysters and catfish – and sometimes even roast beef – Stein says clams lend themselves well to the sarnie thanks to their natural sweetness and the fact they stay tender when fried. The sandwich is balanced out with a mayonnaise laced with miso that “adds umami and depth … it balances the sweetness of the clams and works with the acidity of the pickles, rather than fighting them.”
Stein says this is an ideal accompaniment to a sunny afternoon, particularly when paired with a cold lager or pilsner. “I think of this as the American fish finger sandwich. Proper value seafood. Familiar, comforting and very satisfying.”
Jack Stein’s clam po’ boy
Serves 4
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 baguettes cut in half, or 4 individual baguettes
1kg clams
25g seasoned flour
2 eggs, beaten
150g panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Sea salt, to taste
½ medium-sized lettuce, finely sliced
Salt and pepper
Pickled red onions
1 red onion, thinly sliced
750ml rice wine vinegar
2 tsp salt
100g sugar
5 sprigs thyme
2 star anise
Pinch chilli flakes
5g dashi granules (1 sachet)
Miso mayonnaise (makes 600ml)
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp English mustard
1 tsp miso paste
1 tsp salt
500ml vegetable oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
Method
For the pickled onion, pour the vinegar and 375ml water into a large pot. Add the salt and the sugar, and then the thyme, star anise, chilli flakes and dashi granules. Add the onion, then bring to the boil and then remove from the heat, leaving it to steep for 10 minutes or leave to cool in the pickle liquid until needed.
To make miso mayonnaise place a damp tea towel under a large mixing bowl and add the egg yolks. Beat for a couple of minutes until creamy. Add in the mustard, miso paste and salt, and whisk again to combine. In a steady stream, slowly pour the oil into the egg mix and whisk continuously until you have a thick, glossy mayo. Add the cider vinegar and then taste, adjusting the seasonings to taste.
To prepare the po’ boy, slice each baguette lengthways and toast the slices face-down in a griddle pan.
Steam the clams in a little bit of water until just open, then remove the clams from their shells and pat dry.
Place the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs on separate plates. Dredge the clams in flour, then the egg, and finally coat with the breadcrumbs.
Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the clams to 180oC, then drop the clams into the oil in small batches and fry until golden brown. Transfer the clams to kitchen paper and season with sea salt.
Spread the mayonnaise (around 150g in total) on the baguette slices and top with lettuce and then the crispy clams.
Top with pickled onions to taste, and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
