Sweet corn is the perfect thing to eat right now - seasonal, fresh and perfect with almost nothing added to it. But just in case you're ready for something new, let's load it up with lots of rich and delicious toppings. What do you say? You may be familiar with elote, a Mexican sweet corn treat. If not, allow us to introduce you ...
We often see elote vendors at Chicago festivals, flea markets and ballparks - it's also popular in other parts of the United States, and in Mexico. Grilled corn is served up on the cob or freshly sliced into a cup, and topped with a healthy dose of mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, lime juice, salt and spices. Other common toppings include butter and sour cream, and you can usually order it up just the way you like it.
We like the ease of eating it out of a cup when we're on the go, but there's something fun about nibbling right off the cob, and it does tend to stay warm longer that way. At home, it's pretty much the same simple presentation either way - grill corn, load up the toppings and dig in!
Elote
makes 4 servings4 ears corn
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Cotija cheese (Parmesan will work if you can't find it)
2 limes, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
salt
Prepare a grill or grill pan with high heat. Keep corn in husks, or remove one strip of husks. Place directly on grill. Cook for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until husks are well blackened and the kernels are bright yellow.
If serving on the cob, remove husks and slather each ear with a generous spoonful of mayonnaise. Add the juice of one lime wedge per ear, followed by a pinch of salt, a healthy sprinkle of cheese and a light dusting of cumin and chili powder.
If serving off the cob, cut the kernels off of each ear. Place into a jar or small cup and top with remaining ingredients.
If you prefer, serve the corn with the toppings on the side and let everyone dress their own.
(Images: Joanna Miller)
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A summertime staple in our house. If you don't have cotija, feta or even parmesan can be used in a pinch to give that salty crearminess. I'll often premix mayo (or sourcream) with the lime juice and tapatio hotsauce for easy slathering hot off the grill. Yum.
Glad you're doing a feature on Street Food Recipes! Here's my take on Elote!
traditional LA elote man corn:
Mexican White corn
Mayo
Parmesean
squeezable butter
Pico de Gallo chile powder
Slather with mayo, swirly q around the cob with the butter, sprinkle on the cheese and chile. Eat and be content.
Get a bag of pin wheels soaked in lemon juice and tapatio as a side.
I like the fancy one above too.
love the recipes, I actually just had this for the first time in my life at the DC BBQ Festival http://hostessgoddess.com/2009/07/03/dcbbq/
My favorite thing to make in the summer because it's sooo easy and people love it. I gotta agrea with chusmabilly. Use pico de gallo chile powder!
Yum! I usually eat my corn just plain, but I'll have to try this.
this is the best!! i have had it a cafe havana in nyc, and it is addictive. highly reccomended!! thank you!!
yummy! Gabriela, I live in Tucson and have never known what crema is--is it essentially mayo because it tastes better?!
ahh beat me too it! I've been plotting a post on elote too, since that's been in such heavy rotation in my kitchen this summer. it's soooo addictive...i like to mix the mayo, lime juice, chili powder and cumin together too, for easy slathering. YUM!!!
I just heard about this kind of corn this weekend and was planning to look this up and here it is! Can't wait to try it.
I've always heard this called "Oaxacan corn" with the only difference being cooking the corn on a grill with the husks removed so it gets lightly charred and caramelized. Yum!
Oh. My. GAWRSH. Someone made pretty much this exact type of corn at the pool party I went to last weekend, and it nearly gave me a brain aneurysm, I was so happy to be eating it!! Seriously, it was by far the best corn I've had in my life... except it put me out of commission for like an hour, and I had to take a nap. Talk about food coma.
I love eating it off the cob but lots of napkins are necessary! I've walked around with a chile stained face and didn't even know it! I'll eat it in a cup if I'm around people now. hehe
mmm, we just made this for the fourth of July and even my "only butter and salt on my corn" in-laws loved it :) Will definitely be making it again!
And obdimples, what's the fun of life if you can't have a special treat every once in a while? It's not like we are making this everyday!
I've grown up eating the Chicago and LA versions and of course the one served up in areas of Mexico. Now Florida doesn't have anything like this, but I realized that I had ears of corn in the fridge. Here's my version (since I didn't have the typical ingredients):
Corn on the cob
Greek style yogurt (Cabots of Vermont)
sprinkle each of Kosher salt, ground cayenne pepper, ground chile Ancho pepper
I know, no cheese. I just ran out of parmesan. But I'll tell you, I could have sworn that I had squeezed lime juice on my concoction due to the awesome tanginess of the yogurt. The blend of flavors with the sweet corn is eyes rolling back in my head GOOD!
I remember my sister had the habit of putting mayo in her rice. Others will use sour cream for this effect. I love the healthy substitute of yogurt and I don't mean lowfat or reduced. Hope this helps the health conscious ones out there that cringe at the thought of mayo on corn...
Buen provecho
I make a healthier version of this by using non-fat greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. I add some fresh garlic to the yogurt, spread that over the roasted corn with some cumin and chili, then add cotija or Parmesan and squeeze lime over it. So delicious (and much healthier!)
what if you don't have a grill?!
Oh, yum! Reminds me of my days living in Sunset Park, Bkln, where they grill corn in grocery carts on the street & slather it with all that yumminess. I've also had a similar treat in a cup @ Mr. Corn in Laredo, TX. Ahhh.
I really like msfraust's recipe too. Will have to try at home.
And, if you don't have a grill DailyInspiration, boil it!
nacho libre
The elote, Mexican sweet corn treat has not cumin......usually "authentic" Mexican food does not have cumin as an ingredient.....just FYI
@1120MGGS I wouldn't be that strict :) some Mexican food does have Cumin (Comino), the recipe for the very authentic Cochinita Pibil I'm making this weekend, for instance. But I agree, it's not the highlight of most Mexican food.
Corn on the cob is so much better if you can find varieties that are not as sweet as the corn usually found on US supermarkets. It's an unfortunate thing that we've modified corn to be so sweet (probably to increase alcohol production) when it doesn't really have to be.
I had this for the first time from a street vendor in Mexico City a few years ago. Everything about the situation said "Don't eat that!" - from the big open cauldron of corn to the tub of unrefrigerated mayo sitting on the cart's counter. But I jumped in nonetheless...and I am SO happy I did. This was a revelation. Now this is a summer staple for me as well. The only thing I can't replicate exactly is the mayo. Mexican mayo has a lot of citrus flavor that I get close to by squirting a lime over the whole thing. And I'm sure if I bothered to look for Mexican mayo, I'd find it easily.
Elote reminds me of my childhood. I like when I get to eat it out of a cup with a dollop of crema and Valentina poured on top.