elotes

elotes
a lovely summer side dish, a quick lunch, or a baseball game treat.

now, a quick history lesson.most of you have probably heard of, and possibly tried, elotes. but for those that haven't, what are they?

the word elote is derived from nahuatl word 'elotl', meaning grilled corn on the cob. the nahua people are indigenous to mostly central mexico but today, this dialect is only spoken in scattered rural areas. elotes, however, have become a popular mexican streetfood, as well as a staple or favorite in most parts of the u.s.

it is most commonly eaten as a "popsicle", but here in the u.s. you'll find it served off of the cob, in a styrofoam container, with all the toppings mixed into it. ok ok, so that's how i have it at white sox games. :)

now onto the toppings: butter, salt, mayo, cheese, lime, and hot sauce or hot pepper seasoning. i prefer mine without the hot sauce. the combo of mayo and lime juice is just divine.
during the summer we usually grill the corn, but since we're not quite at the right temperature yet, we just boil them in a big pot.
once the corn is tender either leave it on the cob or slice it off. then rub some butter over it, sprinkle with salt. then add a dollop of mayo, sprinkle some cheese, squeeze some fresh lime juice, and it's ready to eat!
by the way, i use parmesan cheese because i like the flavor of it. but most recipes use queso anejado, also known as cotija. this is the same consistency as parmesan cheese.

i can pretty much guarantee that once you've experienced the flavor combinations in this easy recipe, you'll never go back. i didn't.

p.s. i wanted to submit this as part of liveSTRONG 'taste of yellow' 2008... but stupid me completely forgot about the bracelet! next year.. :(

cPe 2008