Looking for a side dish that steals the show? This grilled Mexican street corn—also known as elote—is smoky, creamy, tangy, and just a little spicy. Fresh ears of sweet corn are charred to perfection, then slathered in a zesty lime crema, sprinkled with cotija cheese, and finished with cilantro. The combination of flavors and textures is irresistible: smoky from the grill, cool and creamy from the sauce, bright from the lime, and salty from the cheese.
It’s the ultimate partner for grilled flank steak, carne asada, marinated chicken, or any backyard barbecue spread. But fair warning: plan on making extra! Once guests taste their first cob, they’ll be back for seconds (and thirds).
INGREDIENTS:
6 to 8 medium ears sweet corn, shucked and silk removed
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder (or other chile powder of your choice)
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest, from 1 lime
2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1-2 limes
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or substitute crumbled mild feta)
Lime wedges
Cilantro leaves, chopped
METHOD:
Heat the charcoal or gas grill to 400°F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the crema (or sour cream), mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, cayenne pepper, ancho chile, lime zest, and lime juice. Taste and season the mixture with salt if needed. Set aside.
Place the ears of corn directly onto the grill grate. Grill the corn for about 3 minutes without turning until the kernels begin to char slightly. Turn the corn over and repeat until all sides are golden with a bit of char. Remove from the grill onto a platter.
Using a pastry brush, generously coat each ear of corn with the crema mixture and then sprinkle the crumbled cotija cheese over the corn. Sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
YIELD: 6-8 servings
