Recipe

Grilled Elotes

Grilled sweet corn in the husk on the plate, with blistered shishitos and roasted vegetables

Grilled sweet corn with a lime and chile crema, cotija and cilantro.

Serves
4
Time
10 minutes prep, 10 minutes on the grill

Ingredients

  • 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husked
  • 2 tbsp Duke's mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese, or a French or Greek sheep's milk feta, finely crumbled
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • 1 tsp ancho chili powder, or Tajin, or Aleppo pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • Flaky Maldon sea salt

Method

  1. Whisk the crema base. In a small bowl, whisk together the Duke's mayonnaise, Mexican crema, lime zest and 1 tbsp fresh lime juice until silky and smooth.
  2. Grill the corn. Preheat the grill to high, 450F to 500F. Place the corn directly on the grates and turn occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes, until evenly charred across all sides.
  3. Dress and season. Immediately brush the hot corn with the mayo-crema mixture. Roll in the crumbled cotija, dust evenly with ancho chili powder, and top with chopped cilantro and flaky sea salt.
The culinary why

The 1:1 mayo to crema ratio. 100 percent mayonnaise creates an overly heavy, greasy barrier on corn. Cutting it 1:1 with crema adds lactic acidity, lightness, and a silky drape that binds the cheese.

Lime zest, not just juice. The citrus oils in the peel hold aromatic terpenes that lime juice alone lacks, and they release the moment they hit hot corn.

Ancho, not generic chili powder. Generic chili powder carries garlic and onion fillers. Ancho delivers a deep, raisin-like smoky sweetness without harsh acrid heat.

From the garden

I am essentially a landlord and every row of crops owes me rent. Something like onions or brussel sprouts would be very late with the rent, taking a third of the year in the ground and only being able to harvest it once, whereas radishes and turnips are early with the rent. These crops are not "on time with the rent", but I'm always trying to see if we can make them successful and profitable. We are trying ground cherries, sweet corn, winter squash, and various melons.

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