Mexican Street Corn (Esquites or Elote En Vaso)
The word “elote” means “corn cob” in Spanish, and you can find Elote as a street food in Mexico. It is grilled corn on the cob slathered in a mayo sauce and garnished with chili powder, cheese, and lime. To make it easier to eat, you can cut the corn off the cob (or make with frozen corn) and eat it with a fork from a cup. When served in a cup, it is called Esquites or Elote En Vaso. For our purposes, let's keep it simple and just call it Mexican Street Corn!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
2 lbs whole kernel corn, frozen or freshly cut off the cob
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
½ cup cotija cheese or queso fresco, crumbled
6 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
6 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chili powder
2 limes, juiced
Salt and pepper to season
Method:
If using whole ears of corn, you can cook them one of two ways.
- If you are using fresh corn on the cob, shuck it, then cut it off the cob.
- Alternatively, you can shuck the corn without tearing off the husks, spread butter over the kernels, then rewrap the husks around it before grilling it. You can also use aluminum foil for similar results. You can also use frozen corn.
When the corn is done, add the garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from heat and add the corn to a mixing bowl. If you’ve grilled the corn, cut it off the cob and reheat it in a skillet with the garlic for about 2 minutes, then put it in a mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve with tortilla chips as a snack or as a side dish. It’s a great accompaniment to grilled meats or fish. For a party appetizer, I like to spoon it into tortilla chip scoops and garnish with a small cilantro leaf.
Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to five days.
Bon Appétit!
Tammy Circeo, Freelance Recipe Writer
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