Esquites
Esquites, a Mexican street snack made from corn.
Esquites (or ezquites) is a Mexican snack or antojito. Shops and market stalls selling corn also tend to sell Esquites, and it is popular at festivals and fairs too. The word esquites comes from the Nahuatl word ízquitl, which means "toasted corn".
To prepare it, the grains of corn are first boiled in salted water. Then they are sauteed in butter with onions, chopped pequin chiles, epazote and salt. It is served hot, in small cups and topped with lime juice, chile powder, salt and mayonnaise. In the purest form corn is simply sautéed lightly with butter or lard and seasoned with epazote.
Creamy Corn Cups ("Esquites")
Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid
4 ears sweet corn, husked and silks removed
4 tablespoons mayonnaise or Mexican sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese
Ground chili powder, for sprinkling
Salt, for sprinkling
Lime wedges, for serving, optional
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the corn to a platter and allow them to cool slightly.
Using a serrated knife, remove the kernels from the corn.
Divide the corn between 4 individual cups or small glasses. Put 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon butter in each glass. Sprinkle with cheese, chili powder, and salt.
Serve with the lime wedges, if desired.
4 servings
David Schuttenberg’s Esquites
David Schuttenberg is chef at Cabrito restaurant in New York City.
This recipe does not call for the mayonnaise condiment, so prevalent on streets in Mexico.
4 ears corn, husks removed
4 tbs. butter
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk epazote*, stems separated from leaves, and leaves finely chopped
1 lime, halved
Salt to taste
2 tbs. cotija cheese (available at many Mexican bodegas)
Chili powder to taste
*Note: The pungent Mexican herb epazote can be found fresh at some Greenmarket stands or Mexican groceries. If you can’t find it, substitute chopped cilantro leaves.
Over a hot grill or an open gas-stove flame (1) char two of the ears of corn until well blackened but not completely burnt. Remove from heat, and when cool enough to handle, (2) shave off kernels using a chef’s knife and reserve. Remove kernels from remaining two ears of corn. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the butter, then add onion and garlic. Sweat for 2 minutes. (3) Add raw corn kernels and stem from epazote, and sauté until corn is just cooked through, about five to seven minutes. Turn heat to high, add the charred kernels of corn to the mixture, and toss to combine until heated through. Squeeze the lime into the mixture. Season with salt. Remove epazote stem and spoon mixture into four bowls. Top each portion with the cotija cheese, a pinch of chili powder, and the chopped epazote leaves.
