Crawfish And Corn Macque Choux

By JimMac

Linguists aren't exacdy sure where the term macque choux came from, but they do know that the dish's origins are most probably Native American—"Cajuned" up with the addition of onion and peppers.

Ingredients

• 12 fresh ears of corn cut
• 1 lg. onion, finely chopped
• 1 lg. bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper OR Creole seasoning
• 1 c. onion tops, chopped
• 1 c. parsley leaves, chopped
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, diced
• 2 lbs. Crawfish tails. If you are using frozen, be sure to completely thaw.
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 stick butter (NOT margarine)
• Cooked rice

Preparation

Step 1

Remove the corn kernels and have them ready to cook. Be sure to “milk” the corn!

Simmer bell pepper, onions, garlic, celery, parsley and onion tops until tender but NOT brown.

Add corn and a small amount of water. Cook covered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are cooked.

In another pot, melt butter. Add the crawfish, Rotel tomatoes, including juice. Bring to a boil. Be very careful not to overcook as they have already been cooked. You are simply warming them, so 5-7 minutes is fine. Add corn mixture and season with with salt and pepper OR with Creole seasoning to taste.
Remove pot from heat source and let sit for about 20-30 minutes for flavors to marry. Actually, serving the macque choux the next day is even better.
Serve hot over rice.