Elote: Mexican Grilled Street Corn
MEXICAN · MEXICO

Elote: Mexican Grilled Street Corn

EloteSnack

Charred corn rolled in crema, lime and chilli, with salty cotija crumbling over every kernel. A street snack that hits sweet, smoky, sour and salty all at once.

Total
30 min
Heat
2/5
Serves
4

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Flavour profile

Heat
Funk
Acid
Richness
Umami
  • Charred
  • Salty
  • Smoky
  • Sour

The real deal

Region
Mexico: elote is the street-cart ear of corn, sold on a stick or in a cup (esquites) across the country.
Technique
Grilled hard over flame until the kernels blister and blacken in spots, then dressed off the heat so the crema and cheese don't melt away.
We kept
Crema, lime, chilli and cotija, no butter, no mayonnaise-only shortcut, and the char is not softened.

Ingredients

4 Serves

grill

  • 4 · husked, silk removed
  • 30 g · optional · melted, for brushing

Dressing

  • 120 ml
  • 2 tbsp
  • 1 · juiced
  • 100 g · finely crumbled
  • 2 tsp
  • 2 pinches

Garnish

  • 10 g · optional · roughly chopped
  • 1 pinch · optional

Ingredients

  • 4

Method

  1. If you're using bamboo skewers, drop them in water to soak so they don't burn. Husk the and pull off every strand of silk. Whisk 120 ml , 2 tbsp , the juice of 1 and a pinch of into a loose, pourable dressing. Taste it: it should be tangy and just salty enough to make you want more. Crumble the with your fingers until it's fine enough to cling to the kernels. Rough chunks just fall off.

    Don't shuck the corn until just before grilling: the husk keeps it sweet.

    Cold crema straight from the fridge seizes when it hits the hot corn; let it sit out while you heat the grill.

  2. Get the grill ripping hot, high heat. Brush the corn with 30 g if you like, then lay the cobs directly over the fire. Turn them every couple of minutes until the kernels blister, pop and blacken in patches all over, about 10 min. You want real char, not a pale tan.

    Don't walk away: corn goes from blistered to ash in under a minute. If a cob flares, move it to a cooler spot, not off the grill.

  3. While the corn is still blazing hot, spear each cob on a skewer and roll it through crema dressing until it's coated all over. Work fast so the crema slides into every crevice instead of sitting on top.

    Hold the cob upright over the bowl and spoon the dressing down the sides, then roll: you use less and cover more.

  4. Shower the hot corn with the crumbled , a hard dusting of , a squeeze more lime and a pinch of . Add a little and if you like, then eat immediately, standing up, with plenty of napkins.

    Dress each cob as it comes off the grill: cold elote is just corn.

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Make it a meal

What hits hardest next to it.

  • DrinkSourCoolingLight

    Cuts the richness of the crema and resets your palate between bites of charred corn.

    Try: A cold hibiscus agua fresca or a lime-spiked sparkling water

    Nothing on the site fits yet. Ask the Lab to cook one up →

  • SaladFreshCrunchySour

    A sharp raw salad keeps the snack from sitting heavy.

    Try: Jicama and orange with lime and chilli powder

    From our kitchen

  • SnackRichSmokySpicy

    Something savoury and grilled alongside makes a full street-food plate.

    Try: Charred spring onions with lime and flaky salt

    From our kitchen