Esquites - Mexican Street Corn Salad
Servings 6 as a side dish
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn kernels from about 6 ears of fresh corn, or use frozen corn, thawed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Juice of 2 limes about 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon chile powder or Tajín seasoning plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional additions:
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
- 1 avocado diced
- Mexican crema for drizzling
- Hot sauce to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and butter.
- When the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the corn kernels in an even layer. Let them cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until beginning to char on the bottom.
- Stir the corn and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely charred in spots but still crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lime juice, chile powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the charred corn to the dressing while still warm. Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Gently fold in the cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lime juice, salt, or chile powder to taste.