Remoulade originated in France as a cold sauce with some similarities to tartar sauce. It had a sharp bite with its generous inclusion of horseradish. The name remoulade came from the word for horseradish – remolat – in a dialect of French (noting that the word for horseradish in the dominant form of French is raifort).
Here in the US, there is no state more influenced by French language, culture, and cuisine than Louisiana. Louisiana or New Orleans style remoulade is different than its French progenitor, but the connection is not just in name only. Horseradish continues to be a component in the sauce and in my recipe.
I made this remoulade when one weekend I got a serious hankering for a homemade Po’ Boy sandwich. A Po’ Boy is the most iconic and popular sandwich in New Orleans and Louisiana and is also strongly influenced by French cooking. The bread is a long baguette-style bread, and a healthy spread of remoulade on the bread is essential. The main component is usually some kind of seafood and very commonly is deep fried. Shrimp is very popular but it could be fish, crawfish, oysters, crab, a combination, or even other meats like chicken fingers. In the past, there was a much wider array of varieties.
The name “Po’ Boy” has to do with the distinct New Orleans accent and a specific history which is interesting but which I won’t get into here. To check out my own fried shrimp Po’ Boy recipe (which makes generous use of this remoulade), just click here.
If you’re familiar with this site, you know I’m most insane about pickled and fermented foods, so I just had to make a remoulade with some of my very sour garlic-dill pickles I have leftover all the way from last summer (almost a year ago… I grow and make a ton every year to last me throughout the year). If you don’t have your own ferment pickles, any type of pickle you enjoy will work. Whether you like spicy dills, sweet Bread n’ Butter pickles, or one of the many pickle options you can find nowadays, these all will taste great in this recipe and just add to its distinct flavor.
The Po’ Boy I made was fried shrimp, with plenty of added pickles, and I was so happy with the outcome. I will definitely be posting that recipe soon!
In the meantime, here’s my dill pickle remoulade recipe. I’m offering it here because it is so versatile; you definitely can use it for a lot more than just a Po’ Boy. Try it as a chicken finger dipping sauce, a salad or cole slaw dressing, as a kind of white-style barbecue sauce like they use in Alabama, as a veggie dip, or as a dip for practically any other finger food. It’s also always going to be great on sandwiches. You can even add some ketchup to this recipe to make a mind-blowing Russian Dressing for a Reuben or other sandwich (not to mention a pretty aggressively flavored salad!).
So let’s do this!
Yield: About 12 fl. oz.; enough for around six 5″ hoagies. (Halve the recipe if you don’t need that much.)
Shelf life: In a closed container in the fridge it will keep for around a month
You will need:
- Knife & cutting board
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Medium mixing bowl
- Citrus hand juice press (suggested)
- Garlic press (suggested)
- Whisk (suggested)
- Storage container (e.g. 16 oz. jar)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayo (my all-natural recipe here, or use a Louisiana classic like Blue Plate or Duke’s)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 TBSP Creole mustard (can sub with Dijon mustard, or yellow mustard if needed)
- 2 TBSP minced pickles
- 2 tsp pickle brine
- 1 TBSP prepared horseradish
- 1 TBSP Louisiana-style hot sauce (Louisiana, Crystal, or even Tabasco are all good options); more or less to taste
- 1 TBSP minced flatleaf parsley (or 1 tsp dried parsley)
- 1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 TBSP Cajun seasoning (or Creole seasoning which is somewhat milder and more herbal, or a combo)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
This is a great sauce as is, but you can also add other ingredients as desired. Minced capers are a popular option. Also, black pepper, celery seed, minced onion, and using Creole seasoning in addition to or as a sub for Cajun seasoning are all good possibilities and the sky is the limit.
Directions:
1.) Prepare all the ingredients as indicated above and add to the medium mixing bowl. Whisk until all the ingredients are evenly mixed together and there is a smooth, creamy consistency. Transfer to storage container and allow the flavors to meld for at least an hour (to overnight) before serving.
