Part of our comprehensive coverage of the American sandwich, available in full in our September issue

In the original, deep-fried oysters are dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and pickles and served on New Orleans–style French bread, which has a slightly crisp crust and cottony interior. In our take, the oysters are panfried rather than deep-fried to keep the mess under control, set on a bed of warm bacon and apple slaw, and served on a toasted brioche bun.

The New Po' Boy

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cornmeal
• 12 oysters, drained of liquor
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 strips thick-cut bacon, sliced thinly widthwise
• 1 large shallot, peeled and sliced thin
• ¼ small head of green cabbage, sliced thin
• ½ green apple, peeled and diced
• 1 Tbsp apple-cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 brioche buns, split in half and toasted

METHOD

• Lightly dust a large plate with cornmeal and set aside. Coat oysters in the buttermilk, and then dredge them in cornmeal and arrange on the plate, lightly dusting with more cornmeal. Refrigerate up to an hour before cooking.

• In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the bacon until lightly crispy. Add the shallot and let it sweat for about 1 minute. Stir in the cabbage and apple and cook until everything is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and vinegar. Set aside at room temperature.

• Over medium heat, add the butter to a large sauté pan and swirl until it begins to foam. Working in batches, add the oysters and cook until golden brown on both sides (about 2 minutes per side), adding a little extra butter as you go to keep the pan from becoming dry. Transfer browned oysters to a paper towel and season with salt.

• Split and toast buns and layer them with slaw and oysters, lightly pressing down the top half of the bun to seal.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

The Workshop Kitchen is a Philadelphia-based cooking and publishing company started by Francine Maroukian and Chef Tony Aiazzi.