Maque choux

Maque choux (left) with dill mashed potatoes

Maque choux /ˈmɑːkʃuː/ is a traditional dish of southern Louisiana. It is thought to be an amalgam of Creole and American Indian cultural influence, and the name is likely to derive from the French interpretation of the Native American name.

It contains corn, green bell pepper, onion, and sometimes garlic, celery, and tomato. The ingredients are braised in a pot. Historically bacon grease was used for the braising stage, although various combinations of oil, butter, or cream may be substituted. The vegetables are then left to simmer until they reach a tender consistency, with chicken stock or water added as necessary. The dish is finished with salt and a combination of red and black pepper. Some cooks include hot sauce and a bit of sugar for greater complexity.

Maque choux is usually served as an accompaniment; however, it can also act as a base for a main meal and use focal ingredients such as bite-sized portions of chicken or crawfish. Shrimp is often added in the later stages of cooking as well.

References

DeMers, John. The Food of New Orleans. 1997 Perplus Editions (HK) Limited: Boston. p. 76
The Plantation Cookbook: The Junior League of New Orleans. 1972. Trice Publishing: New Orleans. p. 131
Folse, John D. The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine. 2204. Chef John Folse & Company Publishing: Gonzales, LA. pp. 319, 359.

Cajun cuisine

Ingredients	Andouille Crawfish Filé Holy trinity Louisiana Hot Sauce Rice Roux Steen's syrup Tasso ham Tabasco sauce Tony Chachere's Seasoning Trappey's Hot Sauce

Methods	Baking Blackening Brochette Deep frying Fricassée Grilling Seafood boil Smoked meat Smothering

Dishes	Boudin Chaudin Couche Couche Cracklins Crawfish pie Dirty rice Cochon de Lait Étouffée Gumbo Gumbo des Herbes Hog's Head Cheese Jambalaya Maque choux Pecan praline Pistolette Red beans and rice Rice and gravy Sauce Piquante Shrimp Creole Stuffed Mirliton Turducken

Cajun or Cajun-influenced chefs	John Besh John Folse Emeril Lagasse Kay Prudhomme Paul Prudhomme Justin Wilson

See also	Cuisine of New Orleans

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