This recipe is based on elotes, a Mexican street food snack consisting of an ear of corn basted lovingly with mayonnaise or butter and sprinkled with cotija, a Mexican cheese with a consistency similar to feta. Are you in? Find locally made cotija at El Comal, 7650 Winston Street, Burnaby.
Typically, elotes are sprinkled to taste with tajín, a mixture of dried pequin chiles mixed with dehydrated lime. If you can find it, go ahead and use it, but if not, try chipotle powder or, for a fresher, milder take, a finely diced jalapeño. For a casual party, prepare the ingredients in advance and set up an elote station, allowing guests to help themselves and season to taste.
Ingredients
- 6 ears of corn, husk and silk removed
- 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 cups cotija cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons chipotle powder or 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
- lime wedges for finishing
Instructions
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 10 minutes with the lid on.
While the corn is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Mix together the crème fraîche, mayonnaise, and garlic in a small bowl, and set aside.
Place the grated cotija in a shallow oval or rectangular platter. Add the cilantro, lime zest, and chipotle powder (or jalapeño) to the cheese, and mix until well incorporated.
When the corn is ready, drain and insert a wooden skewer (a chopstick will do nicely) into the centre of the cob. Use a pastry brush to spread each cob with the mayonnaise/crème fraîche mixture, then, holding the ear over the platter, sprinkle generously with the cheese mixture. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lime and try to remember what your life was like before you tasted this.
