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Mexican Street Corn Off the Cob

Elotes, Mexican street corn, is a tasty treat of grilled corn on the cob that is spread with a creamy sauce and sprinkled with spices and cheese. This recipe takes the corn off the cob and into a refreshing corn salad, esquites, that is as equally at home with hot dogs as it is with Mexican fare.

Makes 4 servings

6 ears fresh corn in husks

canola oil for brushing on the corn

1/2 cup Mexican crema

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1-1/2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon Frank’s® RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chile

1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup finely crumbled cotija cheese

1     Prepare a charcoal grill according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

2     Peel off the outermost layers of corn husk, leaving just a few toward the center of each ear of corn. Peel the inner husks of the corn back just enough to remove the silk while leaving the husks attached at the bottom. Discard the silk. Brush the kernels with canola oil. Pull the husks back over the corn so the kernels are covered.

3     Place the prepared ears of corn in the center of the grill. Do not close the grill cover. After 3–5 minutes, move the corn to the side of the grill and close the cover. Continue cooking the corn for another 10–15 minutes or until the kernels easily burst when poked with the tines of a fork. Remove the corn from the grill and peel off the husk.

4     Allow the corn to cool slightly, then cut the kernels off the cob. Set aside.

5     In a medium bowl, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, lime juice, Frank’s® RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, garlic, and ancho chile until the mixture is uniform. Stir in the cilantro or parsley, cheese, and corn. Serve immediately.

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Pro Tip

Mexican crema is similar to sour cream but has a thinner, smoother texture. Find it, along with the crumbly aged cotija cheese, in the dairy aisle of a supermarket or Mexican grocery.

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