Shrimp Po' Boy

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 120ml mayonnaise, 60g finely chopped dill pickles, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning until completely smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld while you prepare the remaining sandwich components.

Pat 680g peeled, deveined, tail-off shrimp completely dry with paper towels to help breading adhere. Arrange three shallow glass dishes in a line: fill the first with 120g all-purpose flour mixed with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning; fill the second with 2 beaten eggs whisked together with 160ml buttermilk; fill the third with 80g fine-ground cornmeal. Dredge each shrimp first in seasoned flour, dip fully to coat in the egg-buttermilk mixture, then press firmly into cornmeal for an even, thick coating. Set breaded shrimp on a wire rack for 5 minutes to let the breading set before frying.

Pour 1 liter of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or countertop deep fryer. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a steady 175°C (350°F) measured with a clip-on candy or fry thermometer, adjusting stovetop heat as needed to maintain this consistent temperature through all frying batches.

Fry shrimp in 4 equal small batches (8-10 shrimp per batch) to avoid dropping the oil temperature, carefully lowering each batch into the hot oil with a slotted spoon. Fry each batch for 2.5 to 3 minutes, until the breading is deep golden and crispy, shrimp are fully opaque, and internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F). Use a slotted metal spider strainer to lift fried shrimp out of the oil, transferring to a paper-towel lined plate, and immediately sprinkle with the remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt.

Slice the 60cm crusty French bread loaf lengthwise, leaving one long edge attached to create a hinge. Spread two-thirds of the chilled remoulade sauce evenly across both cut inner surfaces of the bread. Layer the bottom half of the loaf with 180g loosely packed shredded iceberg lettuce, followed by 200g of thinly sliced ripe tomato, adding a light pinch of salt to the tomato slices if desired.

Arrange all hot, crispy fried shrimp in a single even layer over the sliced tomatoes. Drizzle the remaining remoulade and remaining 2 teaspoons of hot sauce over the top of the shrimp. Press the top half of the bread down firmly to compact the sandwich slightly, then cut the loaf crosswise into 4 equal 15cm (6 inch) individual portions. Serve immediately while the shrimp remains hot and crispy.