It's Corn Season, It's Esquite Season
It's Corn Season, It's Esquite Season
Esquite Pasta with Whipped Ricotta
It’s a recipe dispatch from the land of esquites! Ciudad de México.
Esquite is my kind of snack-meets-meal replacement and the first thing I eat on the street when I’m back home in México. The word esquite comes from the Náhuatl word ízquitl, which means "toasted corn." There are countless variations of esquites, some people call them elote desgranado (shaved corn), cóctel de elote, or elote en vaso (corn in a cup, literally).
Whatever the regional name, esquites always involve cooked corn that has been sliced off the cob. The kernels are either slathered with crema, mayo, and crumbled queso fresco or salty cotija, or simply served with its corn stock infused with epazote. Epazote imparts a sharp taste with notes of oregano and tarragon, and it is an essential aromatic herb in Central and Southern Mexico cooking.
I’ve been making the velvety corn sauce in this recipe for years when summer corn is at its peak. I make it by simmering the cobs and kernels with aromatics and then combining the kernels with their cooking broth into a buttery sauce. I’ve been known to top risotto with it, serve it with uni, and also eat it by the spoonful. But esquites must’ve been in my mind before coming to CDMX because simmering the corn with epazote felt like something I should have been doing all along. I whipped some Bellwether Farms Whole Milk Basket Ricotta (that can obviously be subbed with queso fresco) with epazote leaves, crema, and a touch of lime juice for an esquite moment because sin maíz no hay país (without corn, there is no country).
I’m bringing you deep cumbia and party vibes on this recipe playlist inspired by the Central de Abastos’ anniversary party that Mexico City expert and my dear friend, Anais Martínez, took us to for a 7 am cumbia party in Iztapalapa. Anais is the founder of The Curious Mexican, where she leads food tours that will enlighten you while also feeding you some of the most unforgettable street food, including, yes, esquites! If you’re planning a visit to the Capital, Anais is your CDMX spirit guide.
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