1 pint medium-sized shucked oysters bread, pulverized in a blender
(about 12 oysters) 1 loaf French- or Italian-type bread
¼ tsp ground hot red pepper (cayenne) about 15 inches long and 3 inches
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper wide
2 eggs 4 T butter, melted
½ c evaporated milk Vegetable oil for deep frying
1/8 tsp salt ½ c Creole tartar sauce **
1 c unsifted corn flour, or 1 c of 1½ c finely shredded lettuce
all-purpose flour 1 large tomato, washed, stemmed and
1½ c soft fresh crumbs made from cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick
French- or Italian-type white slices
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The recipe for Creole Tartar Sauce can
be found in the table under "Louisiana Essentials".
NOTE: According to tradition, in the 19th Century, a
New Orleans husband who had spent the night in the French Quarter saloons
brought this oyster loaf sandwich home to his wife as a médiatrice, or
peacemaker. Called a "poor boy" in New Orleans, this kind of sandwich is
known in other sections of the United States as a hero, a grinder or a
submarine.
Roll one oyster at a time in the flour and, when it is evenly covered, immerse it in the egg mixture. Then turn the oyster about in the crumbs to coat it on all sides. Arrange the oysters in one layer on a plate and refrigerate them while you prepare the bread.
Preheat the oven to 350°. With a large sharp knife, slice the loaf of bread horizontally in half. Pull out all the white doughy crumbs from both the top and bottom to create two boatlike shells of the crusts. With a pastry brush, spread the melted butter evenly inside both halves of the loaf. Place the shells on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until they are crisp and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer, or large heavy saucepan, to a depth of about 3 inches and heat the oil until it reaches a temperature of 375°. Deep-fry the oysters, six at a time, turning them with a slotted spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the coating is crisp and golden brown. As they brown, transfer them to paper towels to drain.
To assemble the peacemaker, spread the tartar sauce inside both the bottom and top parts of the loaf. Scatter the shredded lettuce on the bottom half of the loaf and arrange the tomato slices and finally the oysters over it. Set the top part of the loaf in place, slice the loaf crosswise into four portions and serve at once. Serves 2.
NOTE: If you prefer, you may omit the sliced tomatoes from the sandwich and instead of using the Creole tartar sauce, spread the inside top and bottom of the loaf with a mixture of: ½ c bottled chili sauce, 2 T of prepared horseradish, 2 tsp of strained fresh lemon juice and ¼ tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
