Esquites, aka Mexican Road Corn Salad, is a recent and simple aspect dish that pairs nicely with any summer time dinner. Filled with craveable flavors and crispy-crunchy textures, it can steal the present at dinnertime!
Corn is to Iowa as flat roads are to Nebraska. PLENTIFUL!
Just a bit good-natured, Midwestern ribbing for you. 😉
That’s to say, native candy corn is exploding out of our grocery shops and farmer’s markets and to have a good time, I turned a couple of ears right into a dish I’ve been desirous to develop for years – Esquites, aka Mexican Road Corn Salad.
This recent aspect dish highlights charred candy corn plus a handful of different crispy, zesty elements tossed in gentle and creamy dressing. Filled with intense taste and texture, its the right pairing to any grilled summer time dinner!
Esquites aka Mexican Road Corn Salad
Esquites, aka Mexican Road Corn Salad, is a well-liked Mexican-street meals that mixes corn kernels with mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, and cotija cheese served in a cup or bowl.
It’s creamy with a much bigger emphasis on CRUNCH, and I really like the flavour of charred candy corn in distinction to the opposite recent elements.
Whereas my Iowa-based kitchen is miles away from the road distributors dotting Mexico, I really like the commonalities between the elements usually present in genuine Esquites, and the one on my counter all summer time lengthy: recent native candy corn.
Most important Components Wanted
Raid the farmer’s market or grocery retailer for the elements you’ll want for this straightforward aspect dish.
- Candy corn: in fact! You’ll want 4 regular-sized ears of candy corn, or 5-6 in case your ears are on the smaller aspect.
- Onions: each inexperienced onions and crimson onions present crunch and a zesty taste to the candy corn salad.
- Jalapeno: for a little bit warmth. Be happy so as to add extra in case you like.
- Cotija cheese: is a salty, agency, crumbly cheese that I simply love. You’ll want to learn my tip beneath for methods to simply crumble it up vs shopping for pre-crumbled.
- Cilantro: pairs very nicely with the opposite flavors within the dish.
- Mayonnaise and bitter cream: type the bottom of the creamy dressing that’s drizzled over the salad.
- Chili powder: provides a touch of smokey taste that compliments the grilled candy corn.
Additionally, whereas my recipe doesn’t explicitly name for it as a result of the salad might be served chilly and I dislike this explicit ingredient served chilly – it’s DELICIOUS with cooked and crumbled bacon sprinkled on high!
What to serve with Esquites
For the reason that base of Esquites is grilled corn, I prefer to pair it with a grilled protein for the reason that grill is already on. That mentioned, you possibly can serve Esquites heat/room temp, or retailer it within the fridge and serve it chilly later within the week.
Listed here are some nice grilled recipes to pair with Mexican Road Corn Salad:
Easy methods to Make Esquites
Step 1: Grill the candy corn.
Begin by brushing 4 cobs of candy corn with vegetable or canola oil then grill them over medium-high warmth till the kernels are evenly charred, about 10 minutes, rotating the cobs each couple of minutes.
You should utilize a gasoline or charcoal grill, or forged iron grill pan on the stovetop as I’m exhibiting right here.
Switch the grilled corn to a reducing board then slice the kernels off as soon as they’re cool sufficient to deal with utilizing my go-to technique proven within the video beneath.
Spoiler alert: put the bundt pan away!
Step 2: Mix the elements in a bowl.
Add the grilled corn kernels to a big mixing bowl with freshly crumbled cotija cheese, inexperienced onions, crimson onion, jalapeno, recent cilantro, and garlic then combine with a spatula to mix.
I really like Cacique Cotija cheese and urge you to make use of their recent cotija vs shopping for a pre-crumbled canister which incorporates fillers and anti-caking brokers. The style of recent is unmatched.
Recipe Tip
Add your complete wheel of cotija cheese to a ziplock bag then take away the air and seal. Squeeze the cheese along with your arms – it ought to immediately crumble with almost no effort.
Step 3: Make the dressing.
To a small mixing bowl, whisk collectively the juice of a lime, mayonnaise, bitter cream, chili powder, and salt.
Pour the dressing over the candy corn combination then fold with a spatula till simply mixed. That’s all she wrote!
Easy methods to Serve and Retailer
Esquites is able to scoop, serve and luxuriate in instantly at room temperature. Alternatively you possibly can scoop the salad into an hermetic storage container for as much as 3 days and serve it chilly. Each methods are equally scrumptious.
Nevertheless you serve it I hope you like each final chew of this recent and flavor-packed Mexican Road Corn Salad recipe – take pleasure in!
Extra Contemporary Facet Dish Recipes
- 4 ears candy corn, shucked, see notes
- 2 inexperienced onions, chopped
- 1/4 small crimson onion, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded then minced
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/2 cup recent finely-crumbled cotija cheese
- small handful recent cilantro, minced
- 1 lime
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons bitter cream
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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Brush the corn cobs with vegetable oil then grill them on a gasoline, charcoal, or grill pan on the range over medium-high warmth till the kernels are evenly charred, ~10 minutes, rotating the cobs as they prepare dinner. As soon as the ears are cool sufficient to deal with, slice the kernels off the cob.
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Measure out 3 cups of charred candy corn kernels then add them to a big mixing bowl with the inexperienced onions, crimson onion, jalapeno, garlic, cotija cheese, and cilantro then stir with a spatula to mix.
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To a small bowl add the juice of the lime, mayonnaise, bitter cream, chili powder, and salt then whisk to mix. Pour over the candy corn combination then stir to coat. Scoop the salad into bowls or onto plates then serve. Alternatively you possibly can refrigerate for as much as 3 days then serve chilly.
- A regular-sized ear of candy corn usually yields ~3/4 cup kernels. In case your ears of candy corn are on the smaller aspect, use 5 or 6 ears to equal 3 cups of candy corn kernels.
- I really like this dish served with cooked and crumbled bacon on high!
Energy: 165kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 4g, Fats: 11g, Saturated Fats: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 5g, Monounsaturated Fats: 3g, Trans Fats: 0.02g, Ldl cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 412mg, Potassium: 220mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 366IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 1mg
Dietary values are estimates solely. Please learn our full vitamin data disclaimer.
Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin