Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

1Preparation

1. Husk the corn, remove all the silk, then pat the cobs dry.
2. Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl.
3. Crumble the cheese finely with a fork and chop the coriander.
4. Brush the cobs with a thin layer of oil.

2Cooking

1. Heat a grill or ridged grill pan over high heat until very hot.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 3 min timer
2. Grill the cobs, turning every 2–3 minutes, until the kernels are tender and charred brown in spots all over.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 12 min timer

3Serving

1. Spread each hot cob with a layer of the mayonnaise mixture.
2. Roll the cobs in the crumbled cheese or sprinkle it over, then dust with chili powder and coriander.
3. Serve each cob on a plate with a lime wedge to squeeze over before eating.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: adding the sauce after the corn has cooled. Hot corn loosens the sauce slightly so the cheese sticks; add the toppings as soon as it comes off the heat.
• If the corn is tough, boil it for 5 minutes, then dry it before grilling.
• For children, push a wooden stick into the end of each cob and swap the chili powder for sweet paprika.

🔁 Substitutions

• To make esquites, cut the kernels off after grilling, mix them with the same toppings and serve in a cup.
• The cobs can be roasted in a 230 °C oven for about 20 minutes, turning twice.