Corn and Bacon Maque Choux

LSU Dining

6 ears corn, husked and cleaned

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 cup green bell pepper

1 large fresh tomato, chopped

¼ cup milk

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper

¼ cup chopped green onions

8 strips crisply cooked bacon, crumbled

Nice thick uncured bacon from a local ranch!

Cut corn off the cobs by thinly slicing across the tops of the kernels; place in a medium bowl.

Make sure you've got a nice sharp knife for this. Also: You are probably going to feel a little weird "milking" a cob of corn, but do it! The dish comes out so creamy and nice if you do!

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. 

It smells so good!

Combine corn, tomatoes, and milk with the onion mixture. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 20 minutes longer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. 

This is pre-bacon and green onions, but it only gets prettier the more colors you add!

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.

My Rating: 5/5 "There are lots of variations of maque choux, but this one seems to be an especially nice combination of creamy and savory. A dash of cayenne makes it just spicy enough to be interesting, while the corn is sweet and comforting. Even if you're not into Louisiana cooking, give this a shot - it's just a tasty vegetable dish!"