Summertime means barbecue and grilling.
On a beautiful day you can smell the deliciousness in the air. You can describe the summer time grill smell as pure heaven. Lots of people spend time searching for that perfect cut of meat for the grill. But, how much consideration is given to what accompanies that juicy steak?
Have you heard of Mexican street corn? If not, let me introduce you to an incredibly tasty dish. A starchy carb filled goodness that will pair perfectly with your summer barbecue.
Fun foodie fact heading your way: did you know that it was originally named maize? Corn is arguably the most popular grain. A whole grain that developed in Mexico over 7,000 years ago.
Corn is a-maize-ing! Corn is eaten and prepared in so many different ways. You’ve got your sweet corn, corn chips, popcorn, tortillas, polenta, corn starch and syrup — to name a few.
The list is also long when it comes to other products that are made with corn like oil, cosmetics and toothpaste. I’ll stop there as that has nothing to do with food and is doing zero for your tastebuds.
OK, how do I get those tastebuds back to tingling?
Let’s talk more about Mexican street corn. The thing is, foodie friends, you can grill or boil corn as per usual and serve it hot on a plate with butter and some salt and pepper – but why? Why do the boring same ol’ same ol’?
Especially if you take an extra five minutes to spice it up with a few ingredients and wow your tastebuds. Mexican street corn is super delicious, filled with flavour and easy to make. All you need is a few ingredients: corn, fresh cilantro, garlic, lime, mayo, chili powder, salt & pepper, cayenne pepper and cotija cheese.
The ingredient that stuck out with this recipe is the cotiga cheese. It’s a hard cheese made from cow’s milk that originated from Mexico and is named after the town of Cotija. If you can’t find it in the store, (mine was all out) there are equally good substitutes. You can either go with feta, which is the first choice.
If that’s not a possibility, use parmesan.
How do you make it? While your corn grills, or in my current situation, boils. Darn Newfoundland rainy summer. Combine all ingredients except the cheese and lime. Once the corn is cooked, lather it with the dressing, roll it in the cheese, sprinkle with cilantro, salt, pepper and top with lime wedges for garnish.
“What did the baby corn say to the mama corn? Where’s pop corn?” – Unknown
It’s really that easy! I think the most important tip is to make sure you have lots of napkins on hand. It can get messy. The messier the better I say. I love to coat my corn with a thick layer of that delicious dressing. You can add as much as you want but at my house for dinner, prepared to have your face slobbered. Loves it!
There is a slew of Mexican street corn recipes on the internet for any taste. If Mexican street corn doesn’t appeal to your palate, no worries! You can make Indian style street corn that has coconut oil, curry and sesame seeds. How about American style street corn with maple syrup butter? Oh, and there’s Asian style street corn with hoisin sauce, scallions and chili flakes; and last but certainly not least — Italian style street corn with parmesan cheese and pesto.
“Kernel of truth. You are what you eat.” - Unknown
There I go. I’ve gone and done it again.
My mouth is officially watering. I’ve made myself hungry for street corn while writing this column. It’s a good thing I have to make a recipe after I finish writing this so I can have pictures for you.
The next time you go to purchase corn, think about how you’re going to dress it up. Can you imagine serving this at a friend or family gathering? It’s the little things that bring a wow factor for a crowd. Happy corn cooking folks.
Street corn is definitely fit to eat.
Erin Sulley is a self-confessed foodie who lives in Mount Pearl. Email [email protected]Twitter: @ErinSulley Instagram: @erinsulley
RELATED:
