Esquites

Ingredients

Corn

• 6 earsof white corn, preferably starchy field corn rather than sweetcorn, kernels cut off (about 700 g)
• 2 tbspbutter or 2 tbsp corn oil
• ½white onion (100 g), finely chopped
• 1large sprig of epazote (about 10 leaves)
• 2serrano chillies, finely chopped
• 250 mlwater
• 1.5 tspsalt

To cup

• 6 tbspmayonnaise
• 4 tbspMexican crema, or thick sour cream
• 120 gqueso fresco or cotija, crumbled fine
• 2 tspchile piquin powder or ground chile de arbol
• 2limes, halved
• 4wide paper or plastic cups, and long spoons

Directions

1. Strip the kernels from the cobs with a knife, then scrape the bare cobs firmly with the back of the blade to collect the starchy milk; that milk is what thickens the broth and it is routinely thrown away by mistake.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until translucent but not coloured.
3. Add the chillies and the kernels with their scraped milk, raise the heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring, until the corn smells sweet and a few kernels start to catch and blister on the base.
4. Pour in the water, add the salt and the whole sprig of epazote, and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, until the kernels are tender and the liquid has reduced to a scant, cloudy, slightly thickened broth that just pools around the corn.
5. Taste a kernel: it should be soft and chewy with a little bite left, not crunchy. Field corn takes longer than sweetcorn and is worth the wait for its firmer, less sugary texture.
6. Lift out the epazote stalk, or chop the leaves and stir them back in.
7. Spoon the hot corn into cups with a little of its broth in each, filling them about three-quarters full.
8. Top each with mayonnaise and crema, a heavy crumble of cheese, a hard squeeze of lime and a dusting of chile powder. Do not stir it in; the layers are meant to be worked down through with the spoon.
9. Serve immediately, hot, eaten standing with a spoon straight from the cup.

Technique

• Esquites and elote are the same seasonings on the same corn: elote is on the cob, esquites is off it and cupped with its broth. The word comes from Nahuatl izquitl, toasted corn.
• Epazote is not garnish. Its resinous, faintly petrol-like aroma is the flavour Mexicans expect in the broth, and there is no true substitute; if you cannot get it, leave it out rather than replacing it with coriander, which tastes wrong here.
• Use starchy corn if you can find it. Mexican esquites is made with mature white corn that is chewy and savoury, not with sweet yellow corn, which turns the cup sugary.
• Both the mayonnaise and the crema go on, in that order. One without the other is a partial version.

Substitutions

• No fresh corn: 700 g of frozen white corn kernels work, cooked the same way, but add 1 tbsp of masa harina slaked in water to make up for the missing corn milk.
• No cotija: a dry, salty feta crumbled fine is the closest widely available cheese.
• No epazote: a bay leaf plus a pinch of dried Mexican oregano gives aroma, though a different one.

Variations

• Esquites callejeros are the plain street version, corn and broth in a cup with only lime, chile and salt.
• Esquites con tuetano, topped with roasted marrow, is a modern Mexico City fashion.
• In Jalisco the corn is drained and served dry, tossed with butter, cheese and chile, closer to a snack than a soup.

History

The loose-kernel sibling of elote, sold from evening carts; the name comes from Nahuatl izquitl, toasted corn.

Frequently asked questions

What is Esquites?

Esquites is a street food from Mexico: corn kernels cooked with epazote, cupped with mayonnaise, cheese, chile and lime. The loose-kernel sibling of elote, sold from evening carts; the name comes from Nahuatl izquitl, toasted corn.

How long does Esquites take to make?

Esquites takes 15 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 cups. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Esquites?

Yes, within limits. No fresh corn: 700 g of frozen white corn kernels work, cooked the same way, but add 1 tbsp of masa harina slaked in water to make up for the missing corn milk. No cotija: a dry, salty feta crumbled fine is the closest widely available cheese. No epazote: a bay leaf plus a pinch of dried Mexican oregano gives aroma, though a different one.

What is the most important thing to get right in Esquites?

Pour in the water, add the salt and the whole sprig of epazote, and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, until the kernels are tender and the liquid has reduced to a scant, cloudy, slightly thickened broth that just pools around the corn.