Maque Choux Food

MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Working with 1 corn cob at a time, set the ear of corn upright in a medium bowl. Shave the corn from the cob by slicing down the sides using the tip of a sharp chef's knife, holding the knife almost vertical. (This gives you neat tablets of corn that land squarely in the bowl and keeps the kernels from scattering all over the counter.) Using the back of the knife, scrape each cob to release all the nibs and the "milk" of the kernels into the bowl. Repeat with remaining ears of corn, then snap the cobs in half, and add them to the bowl.
• In a large, deep sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and celery, and season with 1 or 2 pinches of kosher salt. Stir constantly until softened and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons butter and the bell pepper, poblano and serrano, and stir constantly, adding another pinch of kosher salt, letting the butter melt and the peppers soften and become translucent, about 2 or 3 minutes. You will smell the peppers' sweetness and their mild capsaicin releasing.
• Add the final 3 tablespoons butter and the corn mixture from the bowl, cobs included, and another pinch of kosher salt. Stir constantly to coat with the butter and combine thoroughly.
• When everything starts to hiss and sound hot, but isn't cooking so hard as to take color, add 1/2 cup water and a healthy few grinds of black pepper, and cover the pan for a couple of minutes to steam/shallow braise the mixture.
• Remove the lid, and stir well, noticing the corn releasing its liquid and the kernels softening, and the cobs turning somewhat translucent, if however vague. You will notice a general softening and melding together. Return the lid, and let cook a few more minutes, noticing the water evaporating and the remaining liquid reducing and gaining some "body" and gloss. Discard the corn cobs, but do suck them before tossing - those buttery juices make a nice cook's treat.
• Taste for salt, and serve. It should be sweet, spicy, a bit wet and surprisingly complex, given the few ingredients and their ordinariness. If you want a smoky taste, add a good pinch of smoked paprika.

CAJUN CORN AND BACON MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Cut corn off the cobs by thinly slicing across the tops of the kernels; place in a medium bowl. Cut across the kernels again to release milk from the corn, add milk to bowl. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper, cook until onion is transparent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Combine corn, tomatoes, and milk with the onion mixture. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 20 minutes longer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Do not boil. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Lower heat, cover skillet, and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer. Stir in green onions and bacon. Remove from heat and serve.

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Cut kernels off cobs and, working over a large bowl, scrape cobs with knife to extract all juices. Discard cobs. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy 8-qt. pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown sausage, transferring to a plate. Brown chicken in batches, transferring to another plate.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot, then sauté onions, bell peppers, celery, thyme, cayenne, and salt to taste over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add corn with juices and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and sausage.
• Nestle chicken into mixture and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. If the maque choux is soupier than you like, simmer uncovered until juices are reduced. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper.

MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno pepper in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until tender.
• Stir in corn, tomatoes, and Creole seasoning; reduce heat to low.
• Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

MAQUE CHOUX - CAJUN

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook it until it is browned up and crispy, approximately 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon, with a slotted spoon, to a paper towel lined plate so it can drain.
• Add butter and onions to the pot and cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add the Creole seasoning and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to med-high and then add the okra, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper and cayenne. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the okra is crisp tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring once and a while. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Last, add the salt and reserved bacon, stir to combine and serve!

CAJUN CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• 1. Cut the kernels off of the corn into a large bowl. Using the back of the knife, scrape the sweet corn milk from the cobs to extract about 3 tablespoons and add it to the bowl. Set aside.
• 2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the butter to the skillet and when melted, add the celery, bell peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the milk, scallion whites, garlic, tomatoes and corn. Cook until thickened, 10 minutes.
• 3. Serve garnished with the scallion greens and reserved bacon.

SUNNY'S SWEET QUICK KENNER MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• In a large pan with straight sides, add the bacon and cook over medium heat, rendering the fat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic, corn and chicken stock. Stir and bring to a low simmer, then cook until everything is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and a generous amount of black pepper, more salt and cayenne pepper.
• Transfer to a platter and serve.

CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper; sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add corn; sauté 2 minutes. Add cream, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Mix in green onion, parsley, and basil. Season to taste with coarse salt, pepper, and more hot pepper sauce, if desired.

SHRIMP MACQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Set oven to broil. Brush individual pizza crusts with melted butter, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and garlic salt. Place on a baking sheet and broil until sizzling. Remove, and set aside.
• Heat 1 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, place tortilla strips in hot oil, and cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels, and discard oil.
• Add whipping cream to a saucepan, and whisk over high heat. When the cream begins to boil, whisk in sour cream. Reduce to medium heat. Stir in chicken bouillon and jalapeno juice, and simmer.
• In a separate saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour; continue whisking until the mixture is a pale golden color. Then whisk flour mixture into cream mixture, whisking until well blended. Remove from heat, and stir in jalapenos and cheese. Set aside.
• Warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in salt pork, and brown on all sides. Remove salt pork to paper towels, and discard oil.
• Warm 6 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onions, celery, green and red bell peppers, garlic, and thyme. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn, and cook about 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in andouille and salt pork. Season with salt, pepper, 1/4 cup parsley, and Creole seasoning; cook about 10 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the butter sauce off of the shrimp and meats, and reserve the sauce in a bowl or jar.
• Stir the cream sauce into the shrimp and meat mixture. Stir in 3 cups of penne pasta. Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To serve, place pizza bread in the bottom of individual bowls. Ladle a spoonful or two of the reserved butter sauce over the bread, then ladle over sauce. Add more pasta, if desired. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning, and top with crispy tortilla strips.

CAJUN CORN MAQUE CHOUX (MOCK SHOE)

Steps:

• With sharp knife, cut kernels off corn cobs, if using fresh corn.
• In medium skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter with the oil.
• Add corn, onion, sugar and Tabasco sauce.
• Cook until corn is almost tender and starts to form a crust on bottom of pan.
• Gradually stir in broth, scraping up bits on bottom of pan.
• Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the cream.
• Cook for 5 minutes longer or until almost all liquid evaporates; stir frequently.
• Remove skillet from heat.
• Add beaten egg; stir one minute or until egg is cooked.
• Serve with additional Tabasco sauce.