Mexican Street Corn
Can someone please explain to me how it's May already? Perhaps my first northern Illinois winter felt so long and barren, that once the weather started warming up (you know, to the 40's and 50's), the days just started to fly by. One of the many reasons I get so excited about the end of winter is the annual dusting-off-the-grill ritual and moving my "kitchen" outdoors.
In honor of these rising temps, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite recipes for grilling out. I've already had several fresh sweet corn sightings at the grocery store, so what better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year than with this yummy side dish usually served by street vendors in Mexico. These bad boys are grilled and then slathered with mayo (don't even think about skipping this step...trust me on this one) and topped with chili powder, cilantro, lime, and Parmesan. I think I'll be making these again and having them with these tacos and this salsa. Salud!
Mexican Street Corn
Yield: about 6 ears
Ingredients:
6 ears of fresh corn
olive oil
2 Tbsp. mayo
1 lime
1 Tbsp. chili powder
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, shredded
pinch of Kosher salt
Method:
Preheat grill to medium heat (about 400 degrees).
Remove husks and silks from corn.
Brush corn with olive oil.
Grill the corn a few minutes on each side until slightly charred all around, about 10 minutes total (see tips below).
Brush mayo all all sides of the corn while still hot.
Squeeze lime over the corn.
Sprinkle with chili powder, chopped cilantro, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
Dig in!
Tips:
When husking the corn, try to leave as much of the stalk on the bottom as possible, so you will have something to hold to while eating the corn.
If you like your corn a bit more cooked and less al dente, after charring the corn, transfer the ears to the upper rack or the outside edges of your grill and continue to cook a few minutes longer. This will produce a softer kernel.