Makes 8 servings According to Peggy Sweeney McDonald, a New Orleanian living in Los Angeles, the Sweeney Christmas Eve gathering is the family’s big annual celebration. McDonald invites all of her “orphaned” friends who have “nowhere else to go” to share the holidays with her family. The grandchildren perform a short Christmas pageant, and each year a different child has a turn playing Mary. If there’s a baby in the crowd, that baby is the star of the tale. The children sing “Silent Night,” then one of the boys dresses as Santa “and everyone gets a gift.” McDonald’s menu always includes honey-baked ham, turkey, a Cajun stewed corn dish called Maque Choux (pronounced “mock shoe”), Spinach Isabel (page 195), and more.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 (32-ounce) package frozen corn or 6 to 8 ears fresh corn
¼ cup whole milk (if using fresh corn)
1 (15-ounce) can spicy or regular tomatoes, undrained
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup water
Salt, ground black pepper, and Creole seasoning to taste
Hot pepper sauce, to taste
Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion and bell peppers, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the frozen corn. It will stick to the bottom of the pan—this is fine. Cook until the corn has thawed. (If using fresh corn, add the corn kernels and milk and simmer 5 minutes.) Add the tomatoes and sugar. Simmer until tomatoes are tender and lose their shape.
Add water a little at a time and cook, covered, until the corn is tender. Season with salt and pepper. If you are using mild tomatoes, add Creole seasoning to taste. Add hot pepper sauce during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Makes 8 servings
Note: To make ahead, prepare as directed and pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate for 8 hours or more. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dish to reach room temperature before reheating.