Ingredients
Breaded Hearts of Palm
- 8 sticks, canned Hearts of Palm
- 0.75 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Paprika Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
- 0.5 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Vegan Cajun Mayo
- 0.75 cup Vegan Mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- 0.25 teaspoon Salt
For Sandwich
- 4 Hoagie Rolls
- 2 cups, thinly sliced Ice Berg Lettuce
- 2, sliced Tomatoes
Directions
These vegan po’ boys with hearts of palm are a Southern classic with a plant-based twist.
I love a good and hearty sandwich any time of year but especially when the weather is warm!
The sandwich traditionally consists of a filling, typically fried seafood such as shrimp, crawfish, fish, oysters, or crab on a French baguette or hoagie roll.
Hearts of palm are often used in the vegan community as a replacement for fish.
It is neutral in taste but flaky like white fish and can be sauteed, pan fried, deep fried, or eaten cold.
Let’s go back to the beginning and talk about what po’ boys are.
As with a lot of famous dishes, this one also has an interesting history.
Its history is rooted in the working-class neighborhoods of New Orleans.
In the 1910s, brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin moved to New Orleans to work as streetcar conductors.
In 1922, the brothers decided to open up their own restaurant.
The Martin Brothers’ Coffee Stand and Restaurant specialized in French loaf sandwiches.
When members of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees of America Division 194 went on a four-month-long strike, thousands of union streetcar workers were left without a source of income.
To show their support, the Martin brothers wrote a letter to one of the local newspapers, stating that they would give a free meal to any members of Division 194.
Legend has it that when the brothers saw one of the union workers walk into their restaurant, one of them would yell, “Here comes another poor boy!”
Since the free meal given to these workers often included the customary sandwich, the name “poor boy” gradually became associated with the sandwich itself.
With the southern Louisiana accent ‘poor boy’ is shortened to po’ boy.
To season the “fish” or in this case the hearts of palm, I am using Cajun seasoning and hot sauce.
The hearts of palm chunk are then breaded and oven fried, a healthier alternative to the deep fry.
The hoagie rolls are filled and dressed with lettuce and tomato.
Please leave your review for these vegan po’ boys with hearts of palm below.
For other comments and questions, please send me a direct message via Instagram.
Steps
1 Done | Season and Bread Hearts of PalmPreheat the oven to 420°F and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the hearts of palm then slice into bite-size rounds. Blot dry then set aside. To set up your dredging station, you will need 2 mixing bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together the flour, Cajun seasoning, paprika powder and salt. Next, add the plant milk and whisk until smooth and lump-free. In the second bowl, combine the cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs. Doing this in batches and using a fork, coat the sliced hearts of palm in the seasoned flour and plant mixture, gently tap off any excess then place into the cornmeal and panko mixture. Coat with a second, clean fork until fully coated on all sides then place onto the prepared baking sheet. |
2 Done | Oven FryDrizzle the coated hearts of palm with oil then oven fry in your preheated oven to oven fry for 10-15 minutes. Gently flip to allow the other side to oven fry for another 5-8 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. |
3 Done | Make Vegan Cajun MayoWhile the hearts of palm are in the oven, make the vegan Cajun mayo by whisking together the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Wash and slice your tomatoes and ice berg lettuce as well. |
4 Done | ServeTo serve, add some of the creole mayo to your warmed or toasted hoagie rolls, top with shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, some of the crispy oven fried hearts of palm, and a drizzle of hot sauce. Serve hot. |
