José André’s Corn on the Cob with Elote Slather
“Boiled, steamed, grilled: There are plenty of ways to cook corn, but it turns out, to my everlasting surprise, that microwave has them all beat,” says the headnote in José Andrés 2019 cookbook Vegetables Unleashed, which we reviewed in August 2020, and from which this recipe is adapted. “The corn comes out tender and sweet and the husks and silks slip right off with no effort.”
Yes, that happens sometimes, but not always. And we agree that it’s a great method — especially when you don’t have access to just-picked ears from a farm stand or your own garden and need to settle for supermarket corn.
In any case, this elotes-style slather of chile-spiked mayo and garnish of minced onion, queso fresco, cilantro and lime would turn any cooked corn cob into a luscious, messy, decadent treat. We haven’t tried treating grilled corn this way, but we’re pretty sure it would be fabulous as well.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Pinch of chile pequín or chile de árbol powder
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
4 ears of corn, still in their husks
2 ounces queso fresco, finely grated
1/2 small white onion, minced
2 tablespoons corn nuts, finely chopped
A small handful of cilantro leaves, finely sliced
1 lime, quartered
Instructions
1. Place the mayonnaise in a small bowl and stir in the chile and black pepper. Set aside.
2. Put two of the ears of corn in the microwave and cook on high for 7 or 8 minutes. Carefully remove the corn and cut off the bottom 1/4 inch of each ear (the stem end). Pick up the ear by the top, and the husks and silks should fall off, leaving a clean ear. If they don’t, help them along with a little loosening and tugging. Repeat with the remaining 2 ears. (Note: Cooking 1 ear at a time this way should only take 5 to 6 minutes.)
3. Use a butter knife or small rubber spatula to spread some of the mayo mixture all over each ear. Sprinkle with the queso fresco, then the onion, corn nuts and cilantro. Arrange on a platter with the lime quarters for squeezing.
José André’s Corn on the Cob with Elote Slather
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- Pinch of chile pequín or chile de árbol powder
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ears of corn, still in their husks
- 2 ounces queso fresco, finely grated
- 1/2 small white onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons corn nuts, finely chopped
- A small handful of cilantro leaves, finely sliced
- 1 lime, quartered
Instructions
- Place the mayonnaise in a small bowl and stir in the chile and black pepper. Set aside.
- Put two of the ears of corn in the microwave and cook on high for 7 or 8 minutes. Carefully remove the corn and cut off the bottom 1/4 inch of each ear (the stem end). Pick up the ear by the top, and the husks and silks should fall off, leaving a clean ear. If they don’t, help them along with a little loosening and tugging. Repeat with the remaining 2 ears. (Note: Cooking 1 ear at a time this way should only take 5 to 6 minutes.)
- Use a butter knife or small rubber spatula to spread some of the mayo mixture all over each ear. Sprinkle with the queso fresco, then the onion, corn nuts and cilantro. Arrange on a platter with the lime quarters for squeezing.
