Elotes (Grilled Corn with Cheese, Lime and Chile)
Whole ears of corn are a classic street food in Mexico, where they are either grilled or boiled, then often dressed with some combination of lime, chile, mayonnaise and grated cheese. This grilled version calls for all of the above, mixed together into a creamy, bracing topping, and slathered allover the hot, sweet ears. It's not strictly traditional, but it does make it easier to assemble the corn and its dressing before serving. Or place the various topping in small bowls and let guests have the fun of garnishing their own. And if you don’t have a grill, the broiler works too, though watch the ears carefully so they don’t burn. Corn is rich in fiber, vitamin C and several B vitamins. However, one serving contains 7 grams of sugar so you may want to eat it with a protein like chicken or tofu to slow down digestion.
Makes: 6 servings
Time to cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients
6 ears fresh corn, shucked
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 limes
¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder, more as needed
Fine sea salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or substitute feta or ricotta salata)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking Instructions
1. Heat your grill to medium-high. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until cooked through and lightly charred, 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, zest of 1 lime, chile powder, salt and pepper.
3. Slather hot corn with mayonnaise mixture and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Cut limes into wedges and serve alongside corn.
Nutrition per serving
183 calories; 10 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugar; 6 grams protein; 332 milligrams sodium.
Recipe by Melissa Clark, NY Times Cooking
