If you’re still tossing your sweet corn into a pot of boiling water, you may want to consider the alternatives.
For years, I’ve been steaming our corn. I want all that flavor on our plates not tossed away in the cooking water! But recently, I saw an America’s Test Kitchen video on how to microwave corn “in the husk” that results in perfectly silk-free ears on the plate
When I told friends, they laughed because most of them had been microwaving corn for years. (As you can see, I don’t think microwave when it comes to cooking.) But most of them had also been husking the corn before they cooked it, so they did find the video helpful.
Grilled Corn & Elote
If the resident grill master is making supper, you can toss the corn (husk and all) right on the grill and get some of that lovely pop-corney caramelization going. We don’t have a safe grill space so I used a combo method to make the elote in the photo.
Elote is a favorite Mexican street food that has been showing up in Boston restaurants. A very popular version is served at Toro in the South End. There, it’s called “Maiz Asado con Alioli y queso Cotija.”
To make my version, I microwaved the corn for 2 minutes an ear (following the method in the video) and then popped the cleaned ears into a cast iron skillet to give them some color. I cut the ears in half for easier eating and stuck each half with a wooden chopstick.
Then come the toppings. Around here, most places seem to slather the corn in mayonnaise and then season. But in different Mexican cultural regions you might use butter, sour cream, crema, or citrus juice to moisten the ear.
Once you have a wet surface, you can add a Mexican cheese like crumbly Cotija Anejo, or substitute your favorite grated cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a nice salty feta. Seasoning is the final step and that can include anything from salt to chili powder. I love a bit of smoky ancho chili powder on mine! Lime wedges, served on the side, are traditional.
If you’re having a party, you might set up all the toppings, salad-bar style, pass the cooked corn to your guests, and let them create their own version of elote.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino
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