Maque choux is a hearty and flavorful dish that is a staple of Cajun and Creole cuisine. It is typically made with corn, bell peppers, onions, and celery, and can be served as a side dish or main course. Maque choux is believed to have originated with the Choctaw Native Americans, who lived in the region that is now Louisiana. The dish is said to have gotten its name from the Choctaw word for "corn" (maque) and the French word for "cabbage" (chou). Maque choux has since become a beloved dish throughout Louisiana and beyond, and there are many different variations on the traditional recipe.
Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!
MAQUE CHOUX
This classic Cajun side dish is a sweet, hot, juicy, milky, buttery combination of corn, onions and peppers. It's often cooked in rendered bacon fat and enriched with heavy cream, but this version relies upon only butter and a little water in their place, which allow the ingredients' flavors to sing more clearly. While it is commonly understood that Fat Equals Flavor, there is a point at which too much fat actually masks complexities in flavors and dulls their vibrancy. Try the maque choux this way and see if you notice how bold and lively it tastes. If you miss the smokiness that bacon imparts, try instead a pinch of smoked paprika stirred in at the end.
Provided by Gabrielle Hamilton
Categories dinner, easy, quick, weeknight, vegetables, main course, side dish
Time 20m
Yield About 1 generous quart
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE MAQUE CHOUX
Categories Soup/Stew Chicken Onion Pork Poultry Tomato Vegetable Sauté Kid-Friendly Dinner Lunch Meat Sausage Corn Bell Pepper Fall Potluck Simmer Gourmet Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Small Plates
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 13
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.
CAJUN CORN AND BACON MAQUE CHOUX
This is a Cajun recipe I've had forever! I first prepared it when I was in my high school class in Metairie, Louisiana. It's awesome!
Provided by Jodi Hanlon
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Corn
Time 1h5m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 346.5 calories, Carbohydrate 23.1 g, Cholesterol 41.9 mg, Fat 21.5 g, Fiber 3.8 g, Protein 17.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.2 g, Sodium 884 mg, Sugar 5.9 g
CAJUN CORN MAQUE CHOUX
This classic creamy side dish takes advantage of both the sweetness and the starchiness of fresh corn. The trinity of onions, bell peppers and celery gives it a distinctive Cajun flavor, while the tomatoes add brightness. Although usually a side dish, it sometimes takes center stage with the addition of shrimp or crawfish.
Provided by Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 45m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
TASSO MAQUE CHOUX
Steps:
- In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the Tasso and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn, onions and bell peppers. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the corn is tender. Add the cream, stir, and remove from the heat.
MAQUE CHOUX
This is a traditional dish from Louisiana. It can be served as a side dish, or as a topping for blackened chicken or fish. Best of all, you can put it together in 30 minutes!
Provided by breezermom
Categories Sauces
Time 30m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
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.
CORN MAQUE CHOUX
Provided by Bruce Aidells
Categories Herb Side Thanksgiving Vegetarian High Fiber Dinner Corn Bell Pepper Fall Potluck Bon Appétit Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
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 MAQUE CHOUX
Sweet corn, spicy peppers, and succulent shrimp are the stars of this maque choux, or Cajun succotash. The "milk" scraped from the corn cobs after the kernels are cut off gives the broth an irresistible creaminess. Experiment with different varieties of peppers for a uniquely delicious result every time.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes Shrimp Recipes
Time 40m
Yield Serves 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Melt butter in a large straight-sided skillet or wide, shallow pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion white and light-green parts, onion, peppers, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring a few times, until vegetables are crisp-tender and golden in places, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in corn kernels and milk, then vermouth; boil until liquid has mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in stock, cream, and shrimp. Bring to a simmer (but do not let boil), reducing heat as necessary, and cook until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard thyme sprigs, stir in dark-green scallion tops, and serve.
SHRIMP MACQUE CHOUX
Shrimp, salt pork, and andouille sausage are sauteed with corn and bell peppers in a Jalapeno cream sauce; then tossed with penne pasta over individual pizza breads, and topped with crispy fried tortilla strips. Time-consuming, but well worth the effort, as your family or guests will admit. If you can find tasso, use it instead of salt pork.
Provided by Donna Flanders
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Shrimp
Time 1h30m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 31
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1559 calories, Carbohydrate 120.9 g, Cholesterol 358.4 mg, Fat 96.3 g, Fiber 7.7 g, Protein 56 g, SaturatedFat 43.7 g, Sodium 2322.4 mg, Sugar 7 g
Tips:
- Choose fresh ingredients: Use fresh corn, bell peppers, onions, and celery for the best flavor.
- Use good quality stock: Chicken or vegetable stock will add flavor to the dish.
- Cook the corn properly: Cook the corn kernels until they are tender but still have a slight crunch.
- Don't overcook the vegetables: The vegetables should be cooked until tender, but not mushy.
- Season to taste: Add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste.
- Serve immediately: Maque choux is best served immediately after it is made.
Conclusion:
Maque choux is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as a side dish, main course, or even an appetizer. It is a great way to use fresh summer produce, and it is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. Whether you follow a traditional recipe or try a more modern variation, maque choux is sure to be an unforgettable eating experience.
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