Best for: Street corn flavors with a spoon, for a crowd.
Esquites serve elote’s flavors — charred corn, mayonnaise, cotija, chile, lime — in a warm cup, no cob-wrangling required. Cutting the kernels and charring them in cast iron gives every bite a little smoke.
Grill: Direct high heat for a cast-iron skillet; 500°F. Equipment: 12-inch cast-iron skillet, sharp knife, tongs.
Ingredients
Total: 30 minutes.
- 6 ears corn, husks removed (about 4 cups kernels)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 small jalapeño chile, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions
Stand each ear of corn upright and cut the kernels from the cobs; pat the kernels dry.
Heat the cast-iron skillet on the grill until very hot. Add the oil and corn in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to char, then stir and cook 5–6 minutes more, until charred in spots.
Add the jalapeño and butter and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring.
Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the mayonnaise, crema, half the cotija, the lime juice, chile powder, and salt.
Spoon the esquites into cups or small bowls.
Top with the remaining cotija and the cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
Grilling tip: Dry kernels char instead of steaming — pat them dry after cutting if they seem wet.
