Po' Boys chef serves slice of New Orleans in Milton

There's a little bit of New Orleans tucked away in a strip mall on Route 16 in Milton. It's Po' Boys Creole and Fresh Catch Restaurant, where executive chef Mike Clampitt recreates the profusion of flavors, from the bayou to the French Quarter, in his colorful and cozy dining space.

Clampitt was "immediately hooked" with the restaurant industry since his first summer jobs in Rehoboth Beach. When he was hired to work in the kitchen at Desmond's, now Gilligan's, at age 16, after working in fast food, he knew "real cooking" was his calling. He followed that calling years later working at a Wilmington golf course restaurant, where he learned not only the basics of food preparation but also the details of presentation, including ice carving.

His mentor there encouraged him to get formal training to further his career, and Clampitt agreed, enrolling in Johnson and Wales' College of Culinary Arts.

Two years later, degree in hand, Mike returned to the beach as executive chef at (then) Seahorse Restaurant for about five years, and later as sous chef at Baywood Greens Restaurant in Long Neck, where he quickly rose to executive chef.

"I was very, very happy at Baywood Greens," he says.

Still, a "fuzzy notion of private ownership" started to form in his mind. When he learned that the former owners of Po' Boys were selling their business, the notion had a name. Clampitt knew Po' Boys as a highly regarded local establishment enjoying an enthusiastic following and a defined bill of fare. Perfect.

Mike Clampitt's new Po' Boys Creole and Fresh Catch Restaurant opened January 2014, and has just celebrated its first anniversary in the space at the Dollar General strip mall on Route 16 in Milton.

Don't let the location fool you. This is a tantalizing slice of ole' New Orleans with a menu that offers traditional and authentic Cajun fare, including such regional staples as jambalaya, Andouille sausage gumbo, blackened scallops, crawfish Étouffée, shrimp creole, po' boys (of course!), fried oysters, red rice and beans, beignets, along with some Southern soul food added to the mix. You'll see colorful and playful French Quarter art on the walls, and an attentive staff to answer questions with a smile.

During my visit with Mike Clampitt this past week he walked readers through the steps of building an authentic New Orleans muffaletta sandwich, an item which appears on Po' Boys blackboard menu. Basically, the muffaletta owes its origins to the less-known Italian influence on Creole/Cajun cooking that flourished in the French Quarter. The sandwich is a flavorful blend of Italian cold cuts and cheeses paired with a complex olive-based spread. The traditional sandwich originated on dense Italian bread, called muffaletta (hence the name of the sandwich), but Clampitt puts it on a crisp French batard. The recipe for the tapenade is provided.

And here is Clampitt's insider tidbit: sometimes he likes to change it up a bit, and for his own muffaletta, spreads the tapenade on just one side (tradition puts it on both), and his homemade remoulade on the other.

MARDI GRAS

Mardi Gras is the culminating day of the New Orleans carnival season, always on the Tuesday ("Fat Tuesday") before the start of Lent. Festivities include colorful parades, elaborate costumes, strands of gaudy beads, and spirited music.

Po' Boys will celebrate 2015 Mardi Gras Tuesday, Feb. 17, with special main course offerings and King Cake for dessert, iced in the signature colors of purple (representing Justice), green (for Faith), and gold (for Power).

Typically Po' Boys Creole and Fresh Catch is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but Clampitt opens the doors for both lunch and dinner on Fat Tuesday, the height of Mardi Gras celebrations.

Muffaletta (serves 4)

1 Loaf of French bread batard cut into 4 loaves

4 slices Aged Provolone

4 slices Mozzarella

12 slices Mortadella

12 slices Capicola

12 slices salami

Olive spread (recipe below)

Olive Spread:

1 cup Giardiniera (jarred, available in supermarkets)

¹/₂ cup de-stemmed Pepperoncini, (above)

¹/₂ cup pitted Kalamata olives, (above)

1 tbsp capers, (above)

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp dry thyme

Pinch salt and pepper

¹/₄ cup Extra Virgin olive oil

Olive Spread:

Place Giardiniera in food processor and pulse until finally chopped. Add Pepperoncini and Kalamata Olives and pulse each one in the food processor. Add Capers, Garlic, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Salt and Pepper to the food processor and pulse until finally chopped. Add Olive Oil while food processor is on until mixture is smooth.

Building the Sandwich:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place French bread in oven until warm and outside of the bread is crusty. Remove bread and slice in half. Spread olive spread on inside of both halves of the bread. Place the aged provolone on bread, then 3 slices of Mortadella, 3 slices salami, 3 slices of Cappicola, then the slice of Mozzarella. Place the other half of the bread on top and slice in half. Repeat for the other three sandwiches.