Elotes

These are vendor corn recipes from Mexico; they prove that the tendancy to slather corn with flavorings is anceint.  The name comes from yet another Spanish corruption of an "Aztec" word for corn, Elotl.  One is boiled, the other roasted.

For The Boiled Version:

Large pot of pot, brought to boil

2 sprigs epazote

4 or more ears of Corn

1 heaping tablespoon of salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise (you read this right!)

1/2 cup queso anejo or Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 tbsp. pure or mixed chile powder

1.  Add the epazote to the water and let it flavor the water.  Meanwhile, shuck the corn.  Add the corn to the boiling water and cook for around 5 minutes until tender.

2.  In a separate pot, heat another gallon of water and dissolve the salt, remove the corn from one pot and add to the other, let sit for 5 minutes or longer.  This is a holding pot.  

3.  When ready to eat, pull the corn and spread each with 1 tbsp. of mayonnaise, then press the cheese into the mayonnaise; finally sprinkle the whole thing with chile powder, place in dish to serve.

For The Roasted Version:

4 or more ears of fresh corn

1 tbsp. salt

2 fresh limes (limes if you can find them)

1 tbsp. chili powder of any kind on a small dish

1.  Place a grill 4 inches away from hot coals (or you can use a gas grill, or even a broiler).  Pull the leaves back on each ear of corn and pull out the corn silk (save this for tea).  Replace the leaves around the ears and grill for about 10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, heat a gallon of water and dissolve the salt in it.  Through corn into the salted water to hold it until service.   When ready to serve, remove the corn and strip off the leaves.  Cut limes in half and dip into chile powder, then rub each ear down with the lime.  Serve