Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)

There is a lot of corn in the midwest. Growing up in Maine, really great corn was a seasonal treat. In Chicago, we are literally surrounded by corn and people eat it more often. Lately, the big trend in Chicago is Elotes – a typical Mexican street food. Taco Joint has amazing elotes served on the cob, while Bavettes has an elote salad served off the cob. Elotes are generally made the same way: it is corn, topped with mayonnaise, chili powder, lime, cilantro, and crumbled cheese. Some restaurants add their own spin, but I love traditional elotes.

Elotes are a fun and delicious alternative to plain corn on the cob. The best part is that it is super simple to prepare. This recipe is easily scalable – I am going to describe the steps to prepare this dish, but not the proportions since they are based on personal preference.

You will need:
Corn
Mayonnaise
Ancho Chile Powder
Crumbled Cotija Cheese
Lime
Cilantro (I omitted this)

Step 1:

Prepare the corn. Steam it, boil it, grill it – it is up to you.

Step 2:
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the cooked corn. Then sprinkle with the chile powder. Roll the corn the crumbled cheese. Then top with lime and cilantro. Prepare to have your mind blown.