Slathering some grilled corn with butter, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime, and chile powder is as Mexican as the Mexican national anthem. It has become an iconic street food, and you’ll see it around the world on menus at Mexican and non-Mexican restaurants alike. I like to add some roasted garlic to our elotes to make it even more savory. Half the fun is getting it all over your face! There is just something uniquely satisfying about picking off every last kernel on a cob with your teeth. The only other sensation that comes close is eating meat off a bone. I leave some corn on the grill a little longer until some kernels are charred extra well-done for those who prefer it bien quemadito (well-charred!). You know who you are…
This recipe has been kindly shared with TABLE readers from Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling. Discover more about the cookbook in our review.
Elotes Asados with Roasted Garlic Butter
Serves 4 to 8
INGREDIENTS
1 head garlic, peels on, cut in half crosswise
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ears corn, husks on
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ cup crumbled cotija
2 tbsp piquin chile powder or ancho chile powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start a charcoal or gas grill. The gas should be set to high. If using a pellet grill, preheat your grill to 425 degrees for at least 15 minutes. If using charcoal, the coals should be red but entirely covered with gray ash.
- Lay the garlic on a square sheet of aluminum foil, brush with the butter, and wrap tightly. Place the corn and wrapped garlic directly on the grill. Grill the garlic for about 40 minutes, undisturbed. Grill the corn for about 45 minutes, flipping once. Remove both from the grill.
- In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, coriander, salt, and lime juice. Add the pulp of the roasted garlic by squeezing the head like you would squeeze a lime. Stir to combine.
- Pull back the husks from the top down. Spread the garlic mayonnaise all over each ear with a brush and sprinkle the cotija cheese all over the mayonnaise. Finish with a sprinkle of ground chile all around. Serve whole, or cut each corn on the cob into thirds.
Story and Recipe from Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral’s Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling / Photo Courtesy of the Publisher
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