Elotes - Mexican Street Corn

 

Tangy, cheesy, spicy--what's not to love about elotes? We first had these in Oaxaca, Mexico. The corn was roasted and hot. Sometimes the corn was cut off and it was served in a cup. It was wonderful! Although sometimes too spicy if you forgot to stir the chili in. In this version, I boiled the corn, but roasted is better. If you can't find Mexican Crema in your grocery store, try sour cream mixed with some milk to make it almost pourable. Grated Parmesan could be substituted for the Cotija cheese. 

Elotes - Mexican Street Corn
From Cookie and Kate

Makes 6

6 corn cobs with husks, soaked

1/4 cup Mexican crema

1/4 cup mayonnaise

juice of half a lime

chili powder, to taste

1/2 cup grated Cotija cheese

2 Tblsp cilantro, minced

Soak the corn with the husks on in a sink of water for 20 minutes. Weigh them down with a plate to submerge. Heat the grill while they soak. Put the wet corn cobs on the grill to cook, turning from side to side every few minutes. The corn will steam inside the husks. Peel back the husk to see if the corn is done. Set aside to cool. 

Alternatively, you can pull the husks back after the soaking, keeping them attached as a kind of handle and roast the naked corn for about 5-6 minutes over a hot grill, turning frequently.

Mix together the crema, mayo, lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl. Spread the cheese on a plate. 

Spread the crema mixture over the hot cooked corn with a pastry brush, then roll each cob in the corn.

Garnish with the cilantro and serve warm.