I received complimentary product (Hellmann's) via Influenster for testing purposes in this blog post. All content and opinions are my own. #sponsored
Elote, also known as Mexican street corn, is absolutely one of my favorite ways to eat corn. The only downside is that it gets messy eating that buttery, chili powdered, lime-covered corn on a cob. So when I was checking out the the San Francisco Street Food Festival a few years ago, I was so delighted to see and try esquites, a dish very similar to elotes, but without all the mess, for the very first time.
One of the things I love about esquites is that it is SO easy to make. All it takes is the following ingredients -- and really, you can customize it however you want. Love mayonnaise? Add more! Not a cilantro fan? Add less, or skip it entirely.
ESQUITES INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups frozen corn (you can also use corn cut from cobs, or Trader Joe's fancy frozen roasted corn)
3 tbsp Hellmann's mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp feta, crumbled (for a more authentic taste, use cotija)
½ tbsp chili powder mix
1 garlic clove, minced
2 green onions, sliced
1 handful cilantros, chopped
½ avocado, diced
ESQUITES RECIPE*
001. Cook frozen corn according to instructions on the bag.
002. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
003. Pour corn into skillet and stir until coated.
004. Remove from heat and pour buttered corn into mixing bowl.
005. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
*Adapted from Cooking Closet.
Because this recipe is so easy and customizable, I found myself adding more Hellmann's mayonnaise after I thought the dish was done. It gives this dish that extra creaminess and really pulls it all together. I grew up eating Best Foods mayonnaise (same product, but on the west coast), so this is truly my standard on what mayonnaise should taste like. Hellmann's released with a new bottle design that comes with a clean lock cap, which means less waste, less mess, and more control. As I was preparing the ingredients for this dish, I simply opened the cap and squeezed the mayonnaise out, and that was it. I didn't have to shake the bottle, clean the cap, nor did I have to wash a knife from scooping out of the jar. And trust me -- I'm all about less things I need to clean, the better. #WINNING.
This was my first recipe post on this blog, so I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more simple, yet delicious recipes because that's what I'm all about (1. Who has time for overly complicated recipes? 2. Who wants to buy a gazillion ingredients? 3. Who wants to clean up that much mess?). If you give this recipe a shot, let me know what you think in the comments below.