It has been quite a while since I last posted. I had a wonderful trip to Illinois to see my parents and then drove to my brother’s house (9 hours by myself! Well, Cooper was there, too!). Then I drove the rest of the hour and a half back to Charlotte  – it was an exhausting couple of days. Unfortunately, and the reason I have been MIA from posting, is that my grandfather passed away on the night I returned. It really threw me for a loop and my whole schedule has just been off, but hopefully it’s understandable. I went back to work for just 2 days last week, then flew to Austin with my brother and met my parents down there to attend the funeral. It was a hard couple of days but my aunt and uncle also flew in, and we were able to meet some great people who knew my grandfather as well, so that really helped. My grandpa was also a great cook so I definitely feel that connection to him in my own cooking. I’ll always remember his camp dish (a family favorite) and his stuffed peppers, among his other “signature” dishes. He lived a long, wonderful life and I’m so grateful that I was able to know him for as long as I did.

I made these oyster po boy tacos on one of my last days in Illinois. I took these pictures outside while it was rainy and gloomy, so please forgive the photos. The cornmeal crusted oysters and pickles are so crispy and delicious wrapped up in the tortilla and the remoulade sauce really gives it that po boy ‘feeling’. It may seem weird to add the fried pickles, but the tangy flavor goes really well with the rich oysters. The pico and the cabbage are the best complement, and really adds to the freshness. If you need a new taco to add to your lineup, you should definitely try these – or if you’d rather make these sandwich-style, swap the tortilla for a french roll, and the pico and the cabbage for some bright tomatoes and lettuce.

Oyster Po Boy Tacos with Fried Pickles

For the remoulade:

1/4 cup mayo
2-3 Tbsp chili sauce
2-3 Tbsp dijion mustard
1-2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the oysters/pickles:

2 8oz cans of oysters
2-3 large dill pickles, sliced into “coins”
1-2 cups corn meal
Salt and pepper
1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, beatenOil, for frying

For the tacos:

Flour tortillas
Pico de gallo (to make a quick one, combine chopped tomato, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno with a little salt and pepper)
Cabbage

Begin by making the remoulade. Combine all of the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and place in fridge.

For the oysters and pickles, set up two dishes, one with the cornmeal, with salt and pepper, and another with the egg and water. Place the oysters and pickles, working in batches, into the egg. Dredge in the cornmeal and set on a plate. Repeat with remaining oysters and pickles. Heat about 1-2 inches of oil into a large dutch oven and heat over medium high until it has reached about 375 degrees. Working in small batches and separating the oysters and the pickles, fry the oysters until golden brown and crispy, then repeat with the pickles. Remove and drain, and salt as soon as they come out of the fryer.

To assemble the tacos, take a warmed flour tortilla and place a little pico de gallo and cabbage on the bottom. Add a few oysters and a few pickles. Drizzle with the remoulade sauce and serve.

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