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Maque Choux
Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Total 45 min Type Meal Origin Creole

Maque Choux

Louisiana's corn side: fresh corn kernels stewed slow with tomato, peppers, onion and butter into a sweet-savoury, slightly creamy mass.

Serves 4 Prep 15 minutes Cook 30 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Onion and pepper soften in butter; corn kernels (cut from the cob, with the milky pulp scraped after) join in; tomato adds for body. The lot stews for 25 minutes until the corn is tender and the mixture is thick. A splash of cream finishes; spring onion and hot sauce on top.

Ingredients

  • 8 ears fresh corn (kernels cut off; or 800 g frozen corn)
  • 60 g unsalted butter
  • 1 onion (large, chopped)
  • 1 green pepper (chopped)
  • 1 red pepper (chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 2 tomatoes (medium, chopped) or 200 g tinned chopped
  • 1 long green chilli (finely chopped) or ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 100 ml double cream
  • 4 spring onions (sliced)
  • A small handful of flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
  • Hot sauce (to taste)

Method

Stage 1 - Corn (if fresh)

  1. Stand each ear in a wide bowl; cut off the kernels with a sharp knife, working close to the cob.
  2. Once kernels are off, scrape the cob with the back of the knife to extract the milky pulp - this is what makes maque choux creamy. Add to the kernels.

Stage 2 - Trinity

  1. Melt the butter in a wide heavy pan over medium heat.
  2. Cook the onion and both peppers 8 minutes until softened.
  3. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute.

Stage 3 - Build

  1. Add the corn kernels (with milky pulp), tomatoes, chilli, Creole seasoning, sugar, salt and black pepper.
  2. Cook 18-22 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and the mixture has thickened.

Stage 4 - Cream and finish

  1. Stir in the cream; cook 3-4 minutes more.
  2. Stir in half the spring onions and parsley.
  3. Taste; adjust salt, pepper and hot sauce.

Stage 5 - Serve

  1. Pile into a bowl; top with the remaining spring onions and parsley.
  2. Eats well alongside grilled fish, fried chicken or pork chops.

Notes

  • Scrape the cob: Fresh-corn maque choux's creaminess comes from the milky pulp inside the kernels. Frozen corn skips this step (and loses some character) but works.
  • Don't go to mush: The corn should still have bite. 20 minutes cooking softens the trinity around it without turning the dish into porridge.
  • Cream is variable: Some versions are nearly soupy; others are dry. 100 ml is moderate; reduce to none for a Cajun-style version.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; reheats in a buttered pan.

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