Cajun Corn Maque Choux (Fresh or Frozen Corn)
Down in Ponchatoula, my family always had a big garden of sweet corn, and my mama made maque choux (say "mock shoe," cher) about twice a week every summer.
Pawpaw planted 3 rows of sweet corn behind the house every May. By July, we were drowning in it. Corn on the cob. Corn salad. Corn fritters. But the only thing Mama made twice a week was Maque Choux. Pronounced “mock shoe.” Means “smothered corn” in Cajun French.
Maque choux is corn smothered in bacon drippings, the holy trinity (onion, bell pepper and celery) and heavy cream, simmered until it's thick enough to coat a spoon. It's not creamed corn from a can, and it's not a casserole.
It's the real thing, and it's one of the best sides on a Louisiana table.
Holiday table? Fresh corn is a summer thing, but Thanksgiving still wants maque choux. I'll show you how to make it with good frozen corn, too.
SHOP NANA'S CAJUN KITCHEN ESSENTIALS HERE
Ingredients
Yield: serves 6 as a side (or 2 Pawpaws as a main course) — about 55 minutes
4 cups corn kernels — from about 6 ears of fresh corn (best!), or 4 cups frozen whole-kernel corn (about 20 oz), thawed, drained and patted dry
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon bacon drippings (or oil, but drippings give you the traditional flavor)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 fresh tomato, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, adjust to taste
3 green onions, sliced (tops only), for garnish
Equipment:
a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet
a corn stripper, if you want to cut fresh corn fast
a grease keeper for your bacon drippings
Nana's Tip: About the corn: Use fresh corn when you can get it. Frozen whole-kernel corn works if you dry it well (see below). Don't use canned corn, it's too watery and soft.
Instructions
1. Prep the corn.
Fresh: Stand each ear in a bowl and cut the kernels off. Then scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to collect the "corn milk." Use all of it. That's what makes it thick and creamy.
Frozen: Thaw the corn, drain it well and pat it dry with paper towels. There's no corn milk, so you'll cook the corn a few minutes longer.
2. Build the base. Melt the butter and bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Cook the corn. Add the corn (and the corn milk, if you have it). Cook about 10 minutes, stirring often, until tender. Field corn needs about 15 minutes. Frozen corn needs about 12 to 15 minutes, until the extra water has cooked off. Stir in the tomato, cream, cayenne, salt and pepper.
4. Thicken. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it's thick enough to coat a spoon.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Fold in the green onions and turn off the heat.
How To Serve & Store
To Serve: Serve hot with fried catfish, smothered pork chops, red beans and rice, or fried turkey. Or eat it straight out of the skillet, I won't tell.
To Store: Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Keep it covered in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of cream until it's steaming hot (165°F).
To Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of cream.
Bacon drippings: Strain the drippings through a fine strainer into a clean, covered jar and keep it in the refrigerator. If it smells off, throw it out.
Funny story, but true!
Back in the day, every female was required by society to wear pantyhose. We bought them at the TG&Y store packaged in plastic eggs.... You remember those Legg's Pantyhose???
Mama didn't have one of those high class strainers yet so she strained her bacon grease in a mason jar with a clean cut-off leg of pantyhose rubber-banned around the top.
Mama didn't waste nothing. Those pantyhose was new from the TG&Y, never worn....
Nana's telling the truth!
Nana's Tips
Scrape the cobs. The corn milk is what thickens maque choux. Don't skip it.
Heavy cream is best. It's the richest and thickens the way maque choux should. Half-and-half is thinner, so see the lighter option below.
Cast iron is best. It heats evenly and gets the vegetables sweet. Nonstick doesn't cook them as well.
Don't skip the tomato. Not every Cajun cook uses it, but it adds a little brightness and color to the cream.
Bacon drippings IS the flavor. That 1 tablespoon is 115 calories and 13g fat, but it's only about 19 calories per side serving. Worth it, cher! No drippings? Use oil, but it won't taste the same.
Fresh or frozen, the nutrition is about the same. 6 ears of fresh corn is about 20 oz frozen, or 4 cups. Frozen corn is picked and frozen at its peak, so don't let anybody shame you for using it. If you use frozen, pat it dry or it waters down the cream.
Make it lighter. Use 1/4 cup half-and-half instead of 1/2 cup heavy cream. That brings a side serving down to about 187 calories and 9.8g fat, and it's still creamy.
Stir often while the corn cooks so it doesn't stick or scorch.
Nutrition Information
Cajun Corn Maque Choux — 4 cups corn — one batch
Per serving, as a side (1/6 of the batch, serves 6):
Calories: 237
Total Fat: 14.3g (Saturated Fat 7.2g)
Carbohydrates: 23.3g (Fiber 3g, Added Sugar 0g)
Protein: 4.5g
Sodium: 259mg
Cholesterol: 27mg
Potassium: 242mg
Vitamin C: 35% DV | Vitamin A: 15% DV
Per serving, as a main (2 big bowls, half the batch each):
Calories: 710
Total Fat: 43g (Saturated Fat 21.5g)
Carbohydrates: 70g (Fiber 9g)
Protein: 13.5g
Sodium: 778mg
Cholesterol: 80mg
Whole batch totals:
about 1,421 calories, 86g fat (43g saturated, 0.5g trans), 140g carbs, 18g fiber, 27g protein, about 1,555mg sodium, about 1,450mg potassium and about 160mg cholesterol.
Nutrition is an estimate and varies with the brands you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is maque choux?
It's a Louisiana corn dish. Fresh corn is smothered with the holy trinity (onion, bell pepper and celery) and cream, and often bacon drippings. It's pronounced "mock shoe."
Can I make maque choux with frozen corn?
Yes. Thaw the whole-kernel corn, drain it well and pat it dry. Cook it a few minutes longer than fresh corn so the extra water cooks off. Fresh is best, but frozen works well, especially out of season.
Can I use canned corn?
I don't recommend it. Canned corn is too soft and watery for maque choux.
What's the difference between maque choux and creamed corn?
Maque choux has the holy trinity, bacon drippings and tomato, and it's simmered until thick. Creamed corn is usually just corn and cream or milk.
Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?
Heavy cream is richest and thickens best. For a lighter maque choux, use 1/4 cup half-and-half in place of the 1/2 cup heavy cream. It's still creamy, with fewer calories and less fat.
Can I make it ahead for Thanksgiving?
Yes. Make it a day or two ahead, refrigerate it, and reheat it in a skillet with a splash of cream until it's steaming hot.
Can I freeze maque choux?
Yes. Cool it completely and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of cream.
What do I serve with maque choux?
Fried catfish, smothered pork chops, red beans and rice, or fried turkey.
What can I use if I don't have bacon drippings?
Use oil. You'll lose some of the traditional flavor, but it still tastes good.
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