Street foods from around the world are being increasingly reimagined in upscale restaurants nationwide. Our recipe of the week – Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elotes Locos) is popping up in trendy South American restaurants across the country. Fortunately, our own super-Snapchef Will McDonough grew up in El Salvador and knows the real secrets to this decadent take on grilled corn – and we’re sharing the original recipe. This corn is no longer just for street fairs and Carnivals!
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 medium ears sweet corn, husks removed
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema, or sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup minced cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons lime zest, from one lime
- 2 tablespoon lime juice, from one lime
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled or Queso Fresco
- Lime wedges, to serve
Method
1 Heat a gas or charcoal grill to 400F. Clean the grates once it has heated.
2 Whisk together the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, chipotle pepper, lime zest and lime juice. Taste and season the mixture with salt if needed. Set aside.
3 Grill the corn: Place the husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3 minutes, undisturbed, or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate.
4 Top the corn with sauce and cheese: Using a brush or a spoon, coat each ear of corn with the crema mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled cojita cheese. Sprinkle with additional chipotle pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
