What is elite? Elote, or Mexican street corn, is pronounced eh-loh-tay. I’m sure you adore it if you’ve had it. If you haven’t already, you’re in for a treat! Elote has a simultaneous acidic, spicy, and sweet flavor. To add some smokiness, I really enjoy making mine with grilled corn.
Elite is made with corn on the cob. It is then covered in mayonnaise, seasoned with chili powder and fresh lime juice, and garnished with cilantro and salty Cotija cheese. Although messy to eat, every bite is worthwhile. It is the ideal summertime side for any meal with a Mexican flair.
Elote, which translates to “ear of corn” in Mexico, is a popular street vendor serving manner that this recipe mimics. Although I can’t say that this elite dish is very genuine, it does remind me of the delicious elotes I had in Mexico City.
I want to visit every region of Mexico and try the local food. One day! We are currently savoring our dinners at home to the fullest.
Table of Contents
How to Make Elote
Making elite is simple. You may have lots in five to ten minutes after your corn is cooked! This is how you do it:
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Grill the corn
Although I’ve already mentioned how much I adore the taste of grilled corn, you could steam or boil your corn cobs instead.
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Get your garnishes and sauce ready.
While the corn cooks, mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, optional cayenne (if you enjoy spicy food), and salt together. In a separate bowl, combine the grated Cotija cheese and cilantro.
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Apply the mayo mixture to the corn.
Things start to get complicated at this point. If you lack a pastry brush, a butter knife should suffice.
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Evenly distribute the Cotija and cilantro mixture.
If any cheese does not attach to the corn, place a plate underneath it. You may require it.
Elote Ingredient Notes
I adore this recipe, as written below, but feel free to modify it to fit your pantry and tastes.
How to Serve Elote
Elotes are typically served on a wooden skewer. However, as you can see here, I’ve also liked them without the skewer. In either case, they’re going to be a little messy.
Before making the grilled corn cobs into elotes, cut them in half for smaller serving sizes.
Alternatively, cut the corn kernels off of the cob with a knife. Arrange the corn in cups and cover with the Cotijah blend and mayonnaise mixture. This version is elote en vaso, or esquites, which means “corn cup.”
What to Serve with Elote
The street sellers in Mexico that sell elote are called eloteros, and the food items they serve are referred to as antojitos, which translates to “little cravings” in Spanish. These “little cravings” are late-night nibbles or appetizers between meals.
Thus, you can serve alone as an appetizer, snack, or side dish with any cuisine that has a Mexican influence. It’s also a fantastic choice for cookouts.
