Mexican Esquites with spicy lime aioli
Spicy, creamy, and full of flavor, Mexican Esquites is sure to be a part of your Cinco De Mayo celebration every year! Frozen corn is charred in the oven with red onion and jalapeno before being mixed in a spicy, tangy dressing and garnished with a refreshing lime and cayenne aioli.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
For the spicy lime aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the esquites
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 4 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons Mexican crema or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
- ½ cup Cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Make the spicy aioli.
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the aioli ingredients until well combined.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill until ready to plate.
Make the esquites.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Place the onion quarters and the jalapeno peppers on the baking sheet.
Dump the corn kernels into a large bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil over the corn.
Sprinkle the cumin, paprika, salt, and chili powder over the corn and toss to coat the kernels with the oil and spices.
Spread the corn out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven, tossing the corn occasionally, until the vegetables are all a bit charred – about 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Mexican crema, and lime juice until well combined.
When cool enough to handle, chop the onions and add them to a large bowl.
Remove the seeds and veins from the jalapenos before chopping them and adding them to the bowl with the onions.
Dump the charred corn into the bowl.
Spoon the crema mixture over the vegetables and toss until fully coated.
Sprinkle in the cilantro and most of the cheese. Reserve some cheese as a garnish.
Toss until well mixed.
To serve:
On a plate, dollop some of the spicy lime aioli and then drag the back of a spoon through the aioli creating a decorative smear.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the esquites and place the mounded esquites beside the smear on the plate.
Sprinkle with some of the remaining cheese and garnish with a sprig of cilantro.
Serve at room temperature.