Esquites
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Country of Origin
Mexico
Description
The off-the-cob cousin of Elote. Corn kernels are sautéed in butter or lard with aromatics and epazote until charred, then layered into cups with mayo, crema, cotija cheese, lime juice, and chili powder.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Served warm in transparent cups or small bowls, layered so toppings settle into corn, topped with extra cheese and chili powder. Eaten with a spoon.
Ingredients
4 cups fresh corn kernels (sliced off ~4-5 ears)
2 tbsp unsalted butter or lard
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 sprig fresh epazote (optional)
1 serrano pepper, finely seeded and diced
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp Mexican crema
1/2 cup cotija cheese, finely crumbled
1 tsp Tajín or Ancho chili powder
Juice of 1 fresh lime
Salt, to taste
Step-by-Step Directions
Sauté Corn: Heat butter and oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add corn kernels and diced serrano pepper in a single layer.
Char: Cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes to develop a deep char. Stir and cook for another 5–6 minutes until kernels are charred and tender. Add epazote during last 2 minutes.
Mix Seasonings: Remove skillet from heat and discard epazote sprig. Stir in lime juice and salt.
Assemble Cups: Divide warm charred corn among 4 serving cups. Top each cup with equal portions of mayonnaise, crema, crumbled cotija cheese, and chili powder.
Serve: Serve warm with spoons, allowing guests to mix cream and cheese into warm corn.
Optional
Smoky Variation: Use charred canned corn or roasted frozen corn if fresh corn on the cob is out of season.
Cooking Tips
Cast Iron Char: High heat in a dry cast-iron skillet creates essential smoky street-vendor char without drying out sweet corn kernels.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)
Calories: ~280 kcal
Total Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 390mg
Total Carbohydrates: 26g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 7g
Comments