Maque Choux

Ingredients

• 8 ears corn on the cob – kernels cut off and cobs scraped
• 1.5 cups onion – finely chopped
• 0.75 cups celery – finely chopped
• 1 cups green bell pepper – finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 0.5 cups scallions – thinly sliced
• 0.25 cups flat-leaf parsley – chopped
• 4 ounces bacon – cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups tomato – diced
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
• hot sauce – for serving

Instructions

1. Shuck the corn, cut the kernels from the cobs, then scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to collect the milky pulp; set aside.
2. Prep the vegetables: finely chop the onion, celery, and green bell pepper; mince the garlic; slice the scallions; chop the parsley.
3. Cook the bacon in a large wide skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6–8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pan. Add the butter to the drippings and let it melt.
4. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and 0.5 tsp of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the corn kernels and the scraped corn milk. Cook, stirring, until the corn brightens and glossy, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the diced tomato, black pepper, and cayenne. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and the juices reduce to a creamy glaze, 10–15 minutes. If the pan looks dry before the corn is tender, add a splash of water.
7. Stir in the cooked bacon, most of the scallions, and most of the parsley. Season with the remaining kosher salt to taste and cook 1–2 minutes more to meld flavors.
8. Serve hot, topped with the remaining scallions and parsley. Offer hot sauce for serving.