Elote—roasted corn on the cob spiked with salty cheese, creamy mayo, lime, and chile powder—is traditional Mexican street food, slightly exotic but homey enough to anyone who has scarfed roast corn at a state fair. It’s also solid party food: guests can garnish their own, and because the pulled-down husk is used as a handle, it can easily be eaten standing up. Cotija cheese, widely available in supermarkets and Mexican tiendas, is a crumbly aged cow’s-milk cheese, weirdly similar to both feta and Parmesan, and either can be substituted here.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Figure on 1 or 2 ears of corn per person. Gently pull back the husks from each ear of corn without detaching them, and remove as much of the silk as possible. Pull the husks back down to cover the corn, and then detach and discard the very outer layer of husks, leaving about a 2-husk-thick layer around each ear of corn. Put the corn in a large bowl or bucket, cover with cold water, and let soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Step 2
Prepare a charcoal grill.
Step 3
Remove the corn from the water and give each ear a brisk shake. Grill the corn in its husk over very hot coals for 4 to 5 minutes, turning the corn occasionally, so that the husks get slightly charred all over and shrivel a little to expose some kernels. Continue to cook for another 6 minutes or so, until some of the exposed kernels char a bit and the corn is tender. Peel back the husks and transfer the corn to a platter. Have guests first spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the corn, followed by chile powder, grated Cotija, a squirt of lime, and salt to taste.
