Mexican Style Street Corn

*This Mexican Style Street Corn recipe is sponsored by Shamrock Farms, makers of farm fresh, hormone-free dairy products, though all opinions expressed are my own.  Seriously, I only endorse stuff that I would actually pay real cash-money to buy for myself.

Thanks to Mexican street food culture, corn on the cobb is having a moment in the form of elote, aka “Street Corn”.  Prior to recent history, I would have only thought there was one way to serve corn on the cobb: boiled or grilled, smothered in butter and salted.  Of course, in the case of a Shrimp Boil, you’d add a little bit of Old Bay, but that’s about as crafty as corn on the cobb got.

Enter, Mexican Style Street Corn:

Street Corn Recipe

Elote in Mexico can be interpreted in many different ways.  My personal experience of it is fire roasted, smothered with chili powder and crema, dusted with queso fresco and garnished with lime.  So, when Shamrock Farms wanted to partner up on a Cinco de Mayo recipe using their farm-fresh sour cream, I instantly thought of elote.

To make this “gringo-fied” version of street corn, I used sour cream, mayo, cottage cheese, and chipotle peppers in adobo.  If you’re not familiar with chipotles and adobo, they are spicy peppers in a sweet smokey sauce that I compare to BBQ sauce.  Also, I used Shamrock Farms’ plain sour cream, but they also make a Ranch version that would hammer home some additional fresh flavor to the final dish.

Start by combining 1/2 cup of sour cream, 2 Tbs real mayo and 2 Tbs minced chipotles in adobo.  Note that the mayo is added to help in the caramelization factor when we apply some heat to the corn later.  The eggs that are in real mayo love to react with heat.

Next, roast 4 – 6 ears of fresh corn on the cobb under the broiler in your oven for 5 minutes, turn and broil another 5 minutes.  They should get a little browned in spots.  You can also do this roasting step on the grill if you prefer.

Next, slather them down with your chipotle sour cream mixture, generously spreading it all over the roasted corn.

Corn on the Cobb

This next step is optional, but let’s be honest, life is more exciting with a blow torch.  Get that torch lit up and brulee the surface of the corn by moving the flame quickly up and down the surface of the cobbs.  I adore a little char on my corn.

Want to buy a blow torch?  The best place to head is your local restaurant supply shop.  They’ll have ones suitable for use with food.  If you do use a hardware store special like I do, it’s preferable to get one that utilizes MAPP gas, which does not completely combust.  Propane and butane for example, combust, releasing particles that end up on your food.  The final results will have a propane-ish flavor.  It’s not the worst thing ever, but MAPP gas is better in my firey opinion.

Blow Torch

Next I drizzle more of the chipotle sour cream sauce all over the corn, sprinkle with cottage cheese for added texture and garnish with limes and chopped cilantro.  I personally serve it family style.

Want to make these at home for your upcoming Cinco de Mayo extravaganza?  Scroll down to grab the full printable recipe.

Street Corn Recipe

Street Corn Recipe

Street Corn Recipe

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Street Corn Recipe

Mexican Style Street Corn


  • Author: Joanie Simon
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 4 - 6 1x

Description

Inspired by Mexican street food, street corn is slathered with a chipotle sour cream sauce and dressed with cottage cheese, limes and cilantro.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 46 corn on the cobb
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbs real mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbs minced chipotles in adobo
  • 1/4 cup cottage cheese
  • limes, cilantro and scallions

Instructions

  1. Roast corn on the cobb under the broiler for 5 minutes, then turn and roast an additional 3 – 5 until hot an slightly browned.
  2. Combine sour cream, mayo, and chipotles in a bowl and spread over the roasted corn with a pastry brush. Add a little extra brûlée to the dressed corn by running a blow torch over the surface of the corn until further roasted.
  3. Place sauced corn on a large serving platter and sprinkle on cottage cheese, chopped cilantro and scallions and add lime wedges around the edges.
  4. Serve warm with lots of napkins.
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Mexican

*Original recipe by Joanie Simon

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