Grilled shrimp po' boy

Serving shrimp in restaurants became considerably popular after the 1994 movie Forrest Gump whose protagonist, played by multi-award winning actor Tom Hanks, operated a decrepit fishing vessel Bubba Gump that struggled with its initial catches but eventually reaped tons of shrimp making Forrest a millionaire. Can you believe that? That’s how a blockbuster hit movie can influence people, soon international franchises followed in different parts of the world.

But aside from Forrest Gump, shrimp is also popular for its taste. For me who loves seafood and fish recipes and has a wide collection of healthy food recipes that I got around the web and cookbooks, shrimp is one of my personal favorites too especially when added to seafood chowder.

And if you're looking for a more casual Christmas Eve dinner but don't mind splurging on shrimp, go Cajun with this New Orleans classic. You'll want to make that spicy remoulade sauce a few hours early so the flavors have time to meld. This decadent sandwich is anything but "Po."

Grilled Shrimp Po’ Boy

Rebecca Crump (EzraPoundCake.com)

Makes 2 large sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1 french baguette
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
• spicy remoulade sauce (recipe follows; make several hours ahead for best flavor)

Preparation

1. Toss the shrimp with the olive oil and Creole seasoning. Heat a grill pan to medium-high, and grill the shrimp for about 3 minutes each side. Remove the shrimp from the pan, and set aside.
2. Split the baguette horizontally, scoop out some of the bread (if desired), and spread the Spicy Remoulade Sauce on both sides of the bread.
3. Place the shrimp on the bottom half of the baguette. Then pile on the shredded lettuce and tomato slices. Place the top half of the bread onto the sandwich, and divide the sandwich in half vertically to make two sandwiches.

Recipe from EzraPoundCake.com