Elote and esquites two ways

Mix the dressing

1. Whisk mayonnaise, crema or sour cream, lime juice, optional garlic, and Tajín. Keep refrigerated while the corn cooks. Reserve cotija, cilantro, and salt for finishing.

Elote route

1. Heat an outdoor grill or ridged grill pan to medium-high. Rub four dry corn cobs with the oil.
2. Grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until the kernels are tender and juicy with scattered dark char rather than a completely black surface.
3. Brush the hot cobs with all the dressing. Sprinkle with cotija, cilantro, and only as much salt as the cheese and Tajín require. Serve immediately.

Esquites route

1. For fresh kernels, cut the corn off the cob and weigh 500 g. For frozen corn, thaw and dry it thoroughly. For canned corn, drain, rinse, and dry it thoroughly. Surface water prevents browning.
2. Melt butter in a wide 30 cm skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and optional chile for 3 minutes. Add corn in an even layer and cook 6 to 9 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until hot and lightly browned.
3. For fresh corn only, add 60 ml water and scrape the pan. Cover briefly and simmer until the kernels are tender and no watery pool remains, adding the final 20 ml only if they are still firm. For thawed frozen or canned corn, add no water; continue heating and browning only until hot and dry on the surface.
4. Divide among four cups. Spoon over all the dressing and finish with cotija, cilantro, and only as much salt as needed. Serve warm.

Ingredient substitutions

• Cotija is salty, dry, and crumbly. In Germany or Canada replace 80 g cotija with 50 g feta plus 30 g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino. Feta alone is wetter and tangier.
• Mexican crema is loose and mild. Saure Sahne in Germany or sour cream in Canada works directly; Schmand is richer, so loosen 60 g Schmand with 10 ml water and reduce the recipe water elsewhere only if using the esquites route.
• For 2 g Tajín, mix 1 g mild ground chile, 0.5 g dried lime powder, and 0.5 g fine salt. If dried lime is unavailable, use 1.5 g mild chile and add another 5 ml lime juice to the dressing.
• Epazote is traditional in some esquites. If unavailable in Germany or Canada, omit it. Parsley, oregano, and cilantro are not equivalent to its resinous flavor.

Notes

• The ingredient list contains complete quantities for both alternatives, but each batch uses the dressing plus only one corn route. Do not cook both corn quantities unless doubling the dressing and serving 8.
• Refrigerate mayonnaise, crema, cheese, and finished leftovers at 4°C or below. Do not leave dressed corn at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Use leftovers within 2 days and do not freeze the dressed dish because the emulsion splits and the corn softens.
• Use clean utensils for the cold dressing and never brush leftover dressing with a brush that has touched uncooked food.

Sources consulted

• México en Mi Cocina: Receta de Esquites
• Muy Bueno: Mexican Street Corn Elote