Louisiana maque choux

Method

1. Cut kernels from cobs and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to collect corn milk.
2. Render bacon until browned; reserve it and retain 30 ml drippings. Add butter, onion, pepper, and celery and cook 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add corn, corn milk, and garlic for 4 minutes. Add cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook only until corn is crisp-tender and cream forms a thin glaze.
4. Return bacon and add oregano. Rest 5 minutes. No cream should pool in the skillet.

Ingredient substitutions

• Fresh summer corn is preferred. In Germany or Canada use 750 g thawed, well-drained frozen corn plus 50 ml milk or stock because there is no scraped corn milk; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer to remove surface water. Canned corn is softer and saltier, so drain very well, reduce salt, and glaze only briefly. Neither route is identical to fresh corn.
• Bacon determines salt and gluten status in both regions. Use plain bacon explicitly labelled gluten-free for the listed facet and adjust salt after rendering.

Notes

• Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently throughout to 74°C.
• Freeze up to 2 months; corn and cream will be softer and may separate slightly after reheating.

Sources consulted

• Explore Louisiana: Corn maque choux
• Explore Louisiana: Culinary lingo

Good with

• Chicken and andouille gumbo
• Chicken, shrimp, and sausage jambalaya
• Shrimp Étouffée

From Christoph Mayer

Enjoyed this? Buy us a coffee ☕