Ingredients

  • 8 ears corn
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds Tasso ham
  • Canola oil, for cooking
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 jalepenos, diced
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups white wine
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon paprika, plus 2 teaspoons
  • 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 3 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 50 large shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined with no heads or tails
  • Green onions, chopped on the bias, for garnish

Method

  • Prepare a grill for medium heat.
  • Shuck the corn, being sure to remove all the silk.
  • Season the ears with some olive oil, salt and black pepper.
  • Grill, rotating the ears regularly, so as to char but not scorch, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Reserve.
  • Dice the Tasso into approximately 1-centimeter cubes.
  • Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Add the Tasso with a little bit of canola oil and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until evenly browned, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove and reserve, leaving any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add a little more canola oil to the Dutch oven.
  • Add the garlic, celery, jalapenos, onions and bell pepper and sautee until the onions are sweated, 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan, until all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons cayenne, 2 teaspoons chili powder and some salt and black pepper.
  • Stir.
  • Using a knife, cut the kernels off the corn cobs, then milk the cobs using the back of the knife.
  • Add the corn to the Dutch oven.
  • Reserve about 50 pieces of Tasso, then add the rest to the Dutch oven.
  • Add the heavy cream and butter, stir and bring to a simmer.
  • Cook the mixture until thickened with a slight creamed corn consistency, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove the bay leaves.
  • Combine 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon chili powder in a small bowl.
  • Toss the shrimp with 1/4 cup olive oil on a baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle the shrimp on both sides with the spice rub.
  • Grill the shrimp over medium heat until pink and slightly charred, but not overcooked, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  • To serve: Place 1 tablespoon of corn maque choux in an Asian soup spoon.
  • Top with a grilled shrimp and a piece of the reserved Tasso.
  • Garnish with some green onion.
  • Repeat with the remaining maque choux, shrimp and Tasso.