Mmmhmm....raise your hand if y'all are ready for corn season!
Nothing makes me happier than seeing the local fields "knee-high by 4th of July" because then I know that it is our turn for the freshest of the fresh; local Jersey Corn and of course, the beautiful tomatoes, melons, and peaches that follow shortly after. They call it the Garden State for a reason, after all.
Summer produce just makes ya crave more, doesn't it? Like most summer produce, fresh corn is fantastic, all on its own. The fresher the better, it is best to buy corn the day you plan to eat it for peak enjoyment.
My Nana used to say, when she was a child, her mother would put the water on to boil before going out to pick the corn. Now that is fresh!
I was always a little jealous that she grew up with access to a fresh patch of corn, just waiting to be picked. She had a different opinion, of course, raised "country poor" as she described it, she and her siblings would, on weekends, load into the back of a pickup truck with a bed full of fresh corn and drive into town. As they drove up and down the streets yelling out "Corn! Fresh corn" those in town would come out of their homes, and she or one of her many siblings (she was one of seven!) would run a bag of fresh-picked corn up to the home, tucking their money carefully away and running back to get the next bag of sweet, golden, summer delight.
"HUSKERS" is what they were called, and this was not a term of endearment, she told me, but one of snobbery or derision.
To me? It just sounded like she had fresh corn and a side hustle! My Nana didn't share her memory of being a "husker" very often, just enough for me to appreciate how far she had come, how fresh, delicious corn, has been a staple of the American diet for generations, and that clearly I come from a long line of corn enthusiasts.
In the height of summer, almost nothing tastes as good as a fresh ear of corn, pulled from a steaming pan and gilded with a glisten of butter and a sprinkle of salt. Perfection!!!
That being said, variety is the spice of life, and we should treat corn as the multi-faceted star of the show that it is; dressing it up in myriad different ways and exploring the infinite amount of delight in our corny world.
From corn fritters and corn bread, to the intensly smoky sweetness that comes from grilling plump cobs, to the toothless smiles the ginger toddler gave over his first taste of creamed corn, or the multi-napkin messy explosion of Mexican flavor that is elotes...today we celebrate our corny love story witha hot grill, and a few simple ingredients, to make my favorite corn dish, ELOTES!
What's that?
ELOTES!!!
Gesundheit! No, I didn't sneeze. Elotes, AKA Mexican Street Corn is my absolute favorite corn dish. If you have never had it, let me tell you....it is smokey, sweet, crunchy, creamy, tangy, salty, and cheesy. What more could you ask of a simple side dish? How about ravaging good looks, can be prepared in minutes, is festive AF and inexpensive enough to feed a crowd? Yeah, that is elotes. Our official side dish of summer, as fun to eat as it is to make...just be sure you have extra napkins on hand because there will be fingers licked as silence descends around the table and everyone digs into this sensational grilled corn, slathered, coated and sprinkled with deliciousness. Convinced? Then let's make elotes!
Gather the troops!
4 ears of corn
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cotija cheese (or queso fresco or feta in a pinch)
1 lime, quartered
Hot sauce
Chili powder (I like to use Chipotle chili powder or Tajin)
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro(optional)
1.Shuck the corn, remove the silk, and stalk. Grill over high heat until slightly charred for about 5-10 minutes, then remove. Allow the corn to cool just enough to handle but still warm.
2. Brush each cob with 1 tbsp of mayonnaise, sprinkle with 2 tbsp cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder or tajin, and a nice healthy squeeze of lime wedge
3. Add hot sauce to corn as desired/to taste.
4. Sprinkle with cilantro right before serving.
Take a bow. You're amazing and you did a good thing for those you love. Plus, they are now eating their veggies, willfully and excitedly. Bravo!
If you are looking for glorious corn recipes, head over to Kitchn for 10 fantastic corn sides for your summer BBQs, you cannot go wrong with fresh corn for a crowd!
Got a favorite corny love story? Hit the comments and tell us...what's your favorite way to eat corn?
Happy 4th of July everyone! Have a safe and delicious day, playing in the kitchen.
xoxo, Ginger.