Incredibly Quick and Easy Corn Maque Choux

Sorry for not posting in a while. I'm working on a couple projects that I'm excited to share, but they're very much a work in progress right now.

For now, a super simple recipe for corn maque choux, which is a Creole/Cajun side dish consisting of corn, onions, bell peppers, lots of spice, and some cream. My version is a loose interpretation, because I've never had actual southern maque choux, but it's tasty nonetheless. It also falls under my favorite category of cooking: shit you just throw in a pan without measuring.

You'll need:
1 small onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced (if you like things extra spicy, sub a jalapeno with the seeds, etc. removed; and if you don't feel like buying 2 different kinds of bell pepper, use the other half of the red. No big.)
A couple handfuls of corn kernels (I buy the frozen fire-roasted kind from Trader Joe's, but any kind will work. This isn't rocket science.)
A splash or two of cream, half-and-half or milk (you'll want a little sprinkle of flour to thicken up the last one though.
A couple spoonfuls of Essence of Emeril (find the recipe here or buy it at the grocery store. I like to make it without salt so I can season whatever I'm making to my taste)
Salt
Oil
1 T. butter

Saute the onions and peppers in olive oil or butter (or a mixture) on medium/medium-high until soft, then add the corn.

Add a generous pinch of salt, then sprinkle on the Essence. It'll be about a teaspoon, but taste it and adjust. If you used a jalapeno, you might want less because there's cayenne in the spice blend. If you're ballsy, you might want more. I'm on the ballsy side, myself.

Cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes. Or longer. Whatever. The longer the flavors meld the better, but it's perfectly passable after just a couple minutes.

Here I like to throw on a pat of butter, then a light sprinkling of flour. After it's all incorporated, cook a minute longer, then add your liquid dairy product of choice. Again, if you use milk with a lower fat content, go ahead and be a bit more liberal with the flour.

And you're done! My favorite way to serve this is with a few very lightly seasoned sauteed shrimp on top. And feel free to garnish with some scallion, parsley, or cilantro for a bit of brightness.

Serves 2, or 1 if you're really hungry.

Make it and let me know how it turns out, okay?

Minimalist tuna salad

Tuna salad is a cheap, easy, protein-packed no-brainer. I like mine really simple but you can always add extra accoutrements such as relish, mustard, etc. or get really creative with dried cranberries or curry powder. This is just the simple stuff.

The ingredients:


Slice off about a sixth of the onion. This is of course an approximation. I don't believe in measuring.


Chop it very finely. A sharp knife is crucial to not crying while doing this. Contacts help too, I've noticed.


Cut the stalk of celery in half, then slice each of them in half lengthwise. Now chop finely.


Throw the onions and celery in a bowl and add the can of tuna, drained. I like to use no salt added tuna a) because mayonnaise is very salty and b) I like to control my seasonings as much as possible. If you're using regular tuna, give it a rinse as well as draining it. Then grind some black pepper into the bowl and toss a glob of mayo on top.


Now use a fork to mix everything together, breaking up the chunks of tuna. I like to add a couple teaspoons water to make the texture creamier. At this point, adjust the seasonings and if needed, add a bit more mayo.


You can now pile a bunch of it on whole-wheat bread, or like I did for lunch, slap a glob of it on top of a simple salad to which i added peanuts, beets, vegetarian bacon bits, oil and vinegar.

Foolproof Guac

So guacamole is delicious and basically impossible to mess up. I was at my parents' house for Mother's Day and I made some as a mid-afternoon snackie. Forgive the quality of the images. I took them with my cell phone. Later i had to scrape off the bits of garlic that had cemented themselves to the screen. Speaking hyperbolically, of course.

The ingredients:


Squish the garlic and remove the skins


Mince them as small as you can


Then add a pinch of salt and use the side of the blade of your knife to squish the garlic further. What you're trying to achieve is a paste so you won't bite into a chunk of garlic.


Throw the garlic into a medium-sized mixing bowl, then turn your attention to your lovely jalapeno.

Cut the stem end off then slice it in half lengthwise.


Then slice these into matchsticks


Then cut them into tiny cubes and dump in the bowl with the garlic.


You can cut the seeds out before dicing the peppers if you're wimpy, but I think it really compromises the flavor. So I take it back. Don't do it. If you're really sensitive, use half a jalapeno.

Now take the tomato and cut out the stem-end core thing. Whatever it is. It doesn't have to be neat. No one will know!


Then cut it in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Throw them out. They just make the guac watery.


Now dice it


Again, you do not get extra points for neatness, so don't bother. I only did it nice because I am immortalizing my handiwork with a camera. Just make them little bite-sized pieces. Half-inch dice are good. Toss them in the bowl.

Now finally you get to play with the avocadoes. Ah, Avocado, I could write an epic poem to thee, but thou wouldst turn brown by the second stanza so I shall not. Today.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise (carefully!) and remove the pit by hacking into it with your knife blade then twisting. I say hacking, but really, be gentle. I don't have to tell you the horrors of slicing your palm open so I will leave it at that. Then, without slicing through the skin slice the avocado both horizontally and vertically. A butter knife is good for this.


Now take a large spoon and scoop out the flesh into the bowl.


Repeat with all the avocados.

At this point squeeze some lemon juice into the bowl. If i had to measure (which i rarely do), I'd wager about 2 tablespoons. You could use lime juice, but it's not as good. I've tried it.

Now chop up some cilantro and add it to the bowl. I used about a quarter cup (chopped), but next time I'll probably use a bit less. In fact, the cilantro is 100% optional and I usually leave it out myself, except my parents had it lying around.


Oh, by the way, the cilantro stems are totally edible too so chop them right up as well!

Now use your large avocado scooping spoon (or a fork) and start mixing up the ingredients. You want the avocado broken up quite a bit, but to still be a bit chunky. At this point adjust your seasonings. I'd add another generous pinch of salt (about 3/4 teaspoon, or to taste) and a bit more lemon juice if desired.


To keep leftovers (as if!) from turning brown, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guac and refrigerate.