Elote
Mexican street corn
Mexican street corn: charred cobs with mayonnaise, crema, cheese, chilli and lime
Elote (corn on the cob) is sold all over Mexico from street carts in the evening: grilled or boiled cobs speared on a stick, slathered in mayonnaise and crema, rolled in crumbly cotija cheese and dusted with chilli powder, with a squeeze of lime. Charring the corn adds smokiness to the sweet kernels, and the creamy, salty, sour and hot toppings make it irresistible. Serve it at a barbecue or as a snack; kids can skip the chilli. Cotija is often made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian-rennet feta or a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you. Chef's tip: let the cobs cool for a minute before spreading the mayonnaise, so it clings rather than sliding off.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cobhusks and silk removed
- ⅔ oz unsalted buttermelted
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp Mexican cremaor soured cream
- 2 ⅛ oz cotija cheesefinely crumbled; or feta
- 1 tsp chilli powderpiquín, ancho or mild Kashmiri
- 1 limecut into wedges
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat a barbecue, griddle pan or cast-iron pan over a high heat until very hot. Brush 4 corn on the cob with ⅔ oz unsalted butter.
3 minStep 2: Cook the cobs for 10–12 minutes, turning a quarter turn every 2–3 minutes, until the kernels are tender, blistered and charred in patches. You'll hear them pop; that's fine. On a gas hob you can char them directly over the flame with tongs.
12 minStep 3: Mix 4 tbsp mayonnaise and 4 tbsp Mexican crema in a small bowl. Let the cobs cool for a minute, then spread them all over with the mixture.
1 minStep 4: Spread 2 ⅛ oz cotija cheese on a plate and roll each cob in it, pressing so it sticks. Dust with 1 tsp chilli powder, more for adults and none for children, and serve with 1 lime to squeeze over. Push a skewer into one end to make them easy to hold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does elote take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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