Macque Choux

I found this recipe at a fellow Cape Cod owner's renovation blog. Amy's blog appeals to me on a few different levels, not only the fact that we were both stuck with ugly wood cabinets and green walls in kitchen area (although we were), but because she also shares a love for the UW Badgers and has some pretty rocking recipes on her site. I was drooling (DROOLING) over this macque choux when I saw it, and worked it into my dinner menu for the following day. So glad I did.

If you aren't familiar, macque choux is a traditional side dish found in the South (namely the Louisiana area). It is said to have originally been introduced to French settlers by the area's Native Americans. It is usually not served over avocado, but it was a great twist on the original dish. I did really love this – a creamy and warm corn concoction spooned over buttery, rich avocado? Heaven! I'll be making this a lot this summer, methinks.

Macque Choux
(from Amy at Cape Cod Makeover)

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
A sprinkle sugar
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 ripe avocado
1 lime, juiced

Warm a large skillet over moderate heat. Add olive oil, chopped onion, jalapeno, and red bell pepper. Saute 2 or 3 minutes.

Working on a plate to catch the milky juices, scrape corn off the cob. Break up the kernels and pour into the skillet. Combine corn with peppers and onions. Season with a sprinkle of sugar, a dash of cayenne pepper and salt. When mixture bubbles, reduce heat to simmer.

Cut butter into pieces and stir into corn mixture. Allow mixture to simmer and cook until creamy, 5 to 7 minutes.

Cut avocados in 1/2 lengthwise and remove pits. Squeeze lime juice over the avocados to keep them from browning and season them with a little coarse salt. Arrange on the serving plate.

To serve: fill the avocados with macque choux, allowing the corn to spill down and over the sides of the avocado onto the serving platter. The ripe avocado is spooned away from its skin with bites of creamy, warm corn and peppers.