COMMENT:
Although Maque Choux is normally thought of as a corn soup, the
River Road Cajuns cooked a similar vegetable flavored with the freshwater
shrimp of the Mississippi River. Here is their version of that dish.
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ears fresh corn
- 2 cups (150-200 count) shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 1/4 cup andouille, finely diced
- 1/2 cup bacon drippings
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup garlic, diced
- 2 cups tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsps tomato sauce
- 1 cup green onions, sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Select tender, well-developed ears of corn and remove shucks and
silk. Using a sharp knife, cut lengthwise through the kernels to
remove them from the cob. Scrape each cob using the blade of the
knife to remove all milk and additional pulp from the corn. This
is important because the richness of the dish will depend on how
much milk and pulp can be scraped from the 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 approximately
15-20 minutes or until vegetables are wilted and corn begins to
tenderize. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and shrimp. Continue cooking
until juice from the tomatoes and shrimp are rendered into the dish,
approximately 15-20 minutes. Add green onions and season to taste
using salt and pepper. Continue to cook an additional 15 minutes
or until full flavor of corn and shrimp is developed into the dish.
Serve as a vegetable or add stock to create soup. |
