SANDWICH Sorcery

How often does a scruffy guy open a funky neighborhood sandwich shop that becomes a coast-to-coast culinary sensation? Like never, that's how often. Yet that's exactly what transpired not long ago when Mason Hereford welcomed hungry New Orleanians to Turkey and the Wolf and its chefy, stoner-ific sammies loaded with catfish salad, chicken-fried steak and anchovy crème fraîche. Glowing reviews and best-new-restaurant accolades from Bon Appétit and Food & Wine followed, and still keep the joint hopping. Now Hereford channels his sandwich voodoo into a new cookbook, also titled Turkey and the Wolf, and shares some choice recipes with you.

- Mason Hereford

A SANDWICH IS THE SUM TOTAL OF A MEAL'S GREATNESS SERVED AS THE BEST BITE OVER AND OVER.

The SOFT-SHELL CRAB

MAKES 4

2 qts vegetable or canola oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal or

Morton), plus more for sprinkling

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 big soft-shell crabs (5–6 oz each), or 8 smaller ones, prepped and cleaned

6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

8 thick slices soft white bread Malt Vinegar Tartar Sauce (recipe below)

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 white or yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 or 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

1 juicy lemon

Old Bay Seasoning

MALT VINEGAR TARTAR SAUCE

(MAKES 1½ CUPS)

Mix:

¼ cup dill pickle, chopped small

1 cup mayo (preferably Duke’s)

¼ cup malt vinegar

3 tbsp chopped dill

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or ¼ tsp Morton