TAMPA, Fla. — What can you say about Chef Greg Baker and his wife and partner Michelle Baker?

They are cuisine whisperers—bringing the local Seminole Heights and Tampa food scene onto the national scene. (The James Beard Foundation nominated the Refinery for Best New Restaurant in 2011 Chef Baker for best chef award four times.)

They try to take what’s fresh and available here – in our local realm-- and create menus around it. This is why Chef Baker is using corn in May—we’ve got some coming here in Florida he says.

And in their Louisiana Love song May menu—Maque Choux is where it's at. Maque choux is a traditional dish of southern Louisiana, containing corn, green bell pepper, onion, and sometimes garlic, celery, and tomato.

For all you non-Cajuns reading this—it’s pronounced /mock-SHOO/.

Chef Baker is going to retire soon and become a consultant, where he hopes to help us make and eat better food- healthier for us and better for our world too. 

He’s also going to write some.

We will follow his and Michelle’s work.

Geaux Greg Geaux!

 

Maque Choux

 

Serves 4 as a generous side

Ingredients

4 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed

¼ pound bacon, cut into ¼ inch strips (even better-Tasso ham--if you can find it.)

1 medium onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

½ (more, if you like spicy) sliced Thai chili pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ cup heavy cream

6 scallions, sliced thin

Directions

In a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. 


Remove the bacon, and set aside on a paper towel to drain, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.


Add the onion, peppers, and celery, season with a pinch of sea salt, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and the sliced Thai chili and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the garlic is fragrant. 

Add the corn and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the corn is slightly browned and crisp.


Add the bacon back to the pan, and then add the cream. 


Season with a little more sea salt, cooking until the cream coats the corn and is slightly thick – about 7-8 more minutes. 
 

Pour into a serving bowl, and garnish with the sliced scallions.