Esquites

Do you ever get something stuck in your head that you just can't shake? I don't mean crappy pop music or commercial jingles (which, these days, can be one and the same) but stuff that your brain MUST HAVE NOW. The other day I skimmed something about esquites, a Mexican street food made with corn, and got the word stuck in my head. Only I pronounced it "ess-KWEETs" because I had never heard it pronounced. I just looked it up and it's es-KEY-tez. You're welcome.

It's corn season, at least in parts of the country not hit by drought, so after picking up a couple four ears of bi-color corn at the grocery store, I decided it was time to make some es-key-tez. Except, while I had the corn, I didn't have the cotija cheese, epazote, or crema to make an authentic esquites. So I improvised with some non-italicized ingredients. I'd seen recipes that called for mayo, which I did have, and for chile powder and lime juice, which I also had. As for the cheesy bits, what doesn't taste good with Parmesan and Cheddar? (Chocolate cake, that's what.)

Fake it 'til you make it should be my motto.

And what do you know? My bastardization tasted pretty freakin' fantastic. While it was good on its own, it was even better as a filling for veggie tacos with leftover black bean hummus. Wow.

Minxquites

4 ears corn, cooked to your liking, kernels removed
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chile powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Mix everything together (except the cobs, natch) in a bowl. Serve warm.

Posted on Minxeats.com.