Paul Prudhomme Corn Maque Choux Food

CORN MAQUE CHOUX (FRIED CORN)

Steps:

• In the skillet, heat the butter over medium low heat until melted.
• Add the onion and saute until wilted but not brown.
• Add the bell peppers and the corn and stir to coat everything with butter, sprinkle with some salt, pepper, and cayenne, and continue cooking over med-low heat, stirring frequently, until all liquid (if any) completely evaporates, the vegetables start to take on a slight caramalization and the whole room smells really, really good.
• (This should take about 20 minutes).
• Taste, adjust the seasonings if you need to, and serve.
• Note: I say to use a cast iron skillet because, as with cornbread, I believe this dish suffers in flavor if it is not cooked in one.
• However, if you don't have one, you can use another skillet- just know that it would be much better cooked in a cast iron skillet.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

CAJUN CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Heat oil (over medium heat) in a large skillet.
• Saute the onion and bell pepper for 8 minutes or until tender.
• Add in the corn, tomato, and sausage; stir frequently and cook for 15 minutes.
• Add in the green onions, salt and pepper; cook 5 minutes.
• Serve hot.

PAUL PRUDHOMME'S POORMAN'S JAMBALAYA

Steps:

• Seasoning Mix: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
• Jambalaya: Use a large, heavy skillet, cast iron is best; over high heat melt margarine; add tasso and andouille, or ham and sausage, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add onions, celery, bell pepper, seasoning mix and garlic; stir and cook 10-12 minutes until well browned, scraping the bottom of the pan well.
• Stir in rice and cook 5 minutes, again scraping the pan bottom often; add stock.
• Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes, until rice is tender but still a bit crunchy; stir a bit towards the end of the cooking time; remove bay leaves and serve.

CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Using high heat combine 4 T butter, oil, onions, sugar, pepper, salt, cayenne, and corn in a large skillet or frying pan. Cook until corn is tender and starch forms a crust on the pan bottom, about 14 to 16 minutes. Stir occasionally and stir more as it starts to stick.
• Gradually add 1 C of the stock, scraping the pan bottom and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add 4 T butter and stir. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping pan bottom.
• Reduce heat to low and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add 1/4 C stock and cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining 1 C stock and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in 1/2 C evaporated milk and continue to cook and stir until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a bowl, combine eggs and the remaining 1/2 C evaporated milk. Beat until frothy. Stir into the corn and serve. Heat from the corn will cook the eggs, but will not curdle.