Mexican Corn: Elotes y Esquites

Mexican Corn:  Elotes y Esquites

(c) Dorine Houston, 2008, all rights reserved 

A Hispanic market near my house is located in a huge concrete block shed that was once a Best Buy.  There is enough space to allow for a certain amount of community participation and ingenuity, and even for a substantial Asian section catering to the large Asian community here.  During the summer, a sign appeared over a folding table.  "Elotes y Esquites, Sabados y Domingos", and the prices.  A Mexican woman whose English is virtually non-existent sells these corn dishes to eat on the spot, on your feet, or to wrap and take home. 

Elotes are ears of corn on the cob.  She cooks them and rolls them until well crusted in grated cotija cheese.  However, I’ve become addicted to the esquites, and recently decided to try making this dish at home during the week.  Success!  I may start pigging out every day! 

La senora boils whole kernels of corn in water and leaves the pot there until a customer appears.  Then she takes a large styrofoam cup and ladles in some of the corn.  She squeezes in half a lime, adds a generous dollop of mayonnaise and sprinkles on chili powder, and then hands it to you with a plastic spoon, unless you ask for a lid so as to take it home.  Delicious! 

And here is how I made it. 

Esquites

1 cup whole corn kernels, boiled in water
Juice of 1/2 lime 
2 T. mayonnaise (she uses La Costena, a Mexican brand made with lemon; do *not* use miracle whip!  I’ve seen La Costena in mainstream supermarkets, too.) 
Sprinkling of chili powder 

Put the corn into a cup with some of the cooking water, the broth.  Squeeze in the lime juice and add the mayonnaise and chili powder.  When you sit down to eat it, stir the mayonnaise down into the corn.