CORN MACQUE CHOUX

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 8 Servings

Comment:
Although macque choux is normally thought of as a corn soup, the River Road Cajuns cooked a similar vegetable flavored with freshwater shrimp from the Mississippi River. Macque choux is widely known as a Cajun dish of corn and tomatoes.

Ingredients:
8 ears fresh corn
2 cups chopped tomatoes
½ cup bacon drippings or butter
1 cup diced onions
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced green bell peppers
½ cup diced red bell peppers
¼ cup minced garlic
¼ cup minced andouille
2 tbsps tomato sauce
2 cups (150–200 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sliced green onions
salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Select tender, well-developed ears of corn and shuck. Using a sharp knife, cut lengthwise through kernels to remove them from cob. Scrape each cob again to remove all “milk” (juice remaining on cob) and additional pulp from corn. The richness of this dish will depend on how much milk and pulp can be scraped from cobs. In a 3-quart cast iron Dutch oven, melt bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Sauté corn, onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic and andouille 15–20 minutes or until vegetables are wilted and corn is tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, shrimp and heavy cream. Simmer 15–20 minutes or until juice from tomatoes and shrimp is rendered into dish and cream has slightly thickened. Add green onions, then season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook 15 minutes or until full flavor of corn and shrimp develop. Serve as a vegetable or add stock to create a soup.