As you know by now, I simply adore corn. In my books - absolutely and unequivocally - Corn is King!
I have written about how corn came about and the story is nothing short of amazing (check out the story for Elotes a la Mexicana here in the blog), so I won’t repeat myself telling you the same tale. What I will tell you, though, is that us Mexicans love everything and anything made with corn - we eat it every day in the form of tortillas, tacos, sopes, tetelas and we even drink it in the form of pinole, tejuino, atole or champurrado. It is, in short, our sustenance and it is absolutely delicious in all its forms.
One of the most popular street foods in Mexico is corn, both on the cob and off the cob. Our Mexican corn is different than its Canadian or American counterparts: it is hearty, starchy and definitely not sweet. It lends itself very well to creamy, tangy and spicy concoctions and that is exactly how we love to eat it.
If you walk the streets of Mexico, you will always come across at least one corn vendor. Some of them sell the cobs whole, either boiled or grilled, and there are the vendors that sell the corn off the cob. I tend to like it more this way, as it is easier to eat. And on the plus side, when it’s served in a glass off the cob, you can add more condiments and every bite is enveloped in that creamy, spicy, tangy goodness. Yum. It is soooo good!
In Monterrey, we call them “Elotes Desgranados”, which simply means corn kernels, but in southern Mexico, they are known as “Esquites”. The main difference is that for Esquites, the corn kernels are cooked with fresh epazote and chile de árbol, so the corn acquires a different flavour than its northern counterpart. Either way, they are both delicious and the finished product really is all about the quality of the toppings, so make sure you use good mayo (not Miracle Whip please) and crema, and quality dried chile powders and sauces.
Today I am using the new Chillin spice blend from my friends at Spicetionary - it is really interesting because they have added amchoor (dried green mango powder), and it gives the spice blend a very nice fruity note that goes really well with this recipe. If you don’t have this particular spice, my next favourite thing to use is a good quality ground ancho or guajillo chile. In Mexico, when you buy esquites, after they add the mayo, crema, cheese and powdered chile, they give you plenty of limes to squeeze juice into your cup and a choice of many bottled salsas you can add. At home you could use Valentina, Cholula or your favourite brand. Today I am using my ultra-spicy Salsa Macha (it may be hard to find at the stores, so I will post my recipe soon!). Use what you have available, it will still be delicious!!
I have given you a guideline in the form of a recipe below, but really, it is all about you preparing your portion exactly the way you like it (like we do in Mexico!), so you decide how much of anything you want to use! You could even let everyone mix their own, exactly how everyone likes it.
I hope you go out and get some fresh, local corn so you can try this recipe. Enjoy!!
Esquites or Elotes Desgranados
aka Mexican Street Corn
3 large ears of corn, husked
1 tsp salt
10 epazote leaves (optional)
1 chile de árbol (optional)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream or crema
3/4 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese, plus more for garnish
A bit of the corn cooking water, for consistency
2 tsp Spicetionary™ Chillin spice, or ground ancho chile, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste
Salt only if needed, to taste
1 tsp Salsa Macha (optional), for garnish
2 tsp chopped cilantro for garnish
In large pot, place corn, salt, epazote and chile de árbol (if using). Cover with water and bring to a boil.
Simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until corn is tender.
Remove corn from pot but reserve the cooking water.
Let corn cool 5 minutes and using a knife, cut kernels off the cob.
Place kernels in medium bowl, you should have about 3 cups. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, 3/4 cup cotija or feta cheese, 2 tsp Spicetionary™ Chillin spice or ground chile, juice of 1 lime and 1- 2 Tbsp of the warm corn cooking water. The water is only needed to make the consistency a bit creamy, we don’t want it to be soupy, so you decide how much you use. Season to taste with salt only if you need it - it will depend on the type of cheese you’re using.
Divide mixture amongst 4 bowls or glasses. Garnish with more cheese, spice and a drizzle of salsa macha, if using. Top with a bit of cilantro and enjoy!
Serves 2-4.