Maque Choux

20 minutes prep 25 minutes active cooking 45 minutes total

Makes 6 - 8 servings

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It's not French, and there's no cabbage (choux) involved.

Culinary historians think this Louisiana classic that combines New World vegetables with Old World technique comes from the native American influence on the French Acadians expelled from Nova Scotia. Even withoutthe interesting backstory, maque choux (pronounced "mock shoe") is delicious.

While this version includes bacon, smoky andouille sausage or tasso ham are fine meaty substitutes. A handful of Louisiana dried shrimp would also be a tasty if unorthodox addition. Or you can make it with just vegetables.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

2 large Astiana tomatoes (substitute 3-4 smaller tomatoes)
2 slices of bacon*, chopped
1 tablespoon of Novo Frantoio olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup of dried shrimp (optional)
Italian fine sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Burlap & Barrel's Silk Chili, to taste
1 tablespoon of thyme
3-4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
*Tasso ham, andouille, or smoked sausage would all work, or the meat can be left out.

Equipment

1 Chef Knife
1 Cutting Board
1 Heavy Skillet
1 Grater

"Grating tomatoes might not have originated in Spain, but cooking Spanish food introduced me to this great (pun intended) technique."

~ Jim Dixon, founder Wellspent and Real Good Food

What you'll have to do

Step 1

Grating tomatoes might not have originated in Spain, but cooking Spanish food introduced me to this great (pun intended) technique. So with a nod to the brief period of Spanish colonial influence in Louisiana, grate a couple of Astiana tomatoes by cutting them in half across their equators, then rubbing them against a box grater over a bowl until you’re left with just the skin.