We made this for my husband for Father's Day, 2012. These ears of corn coated with cotija cheese are a popular street snack in Mexico, which I tasted a long time ago when I lived in Los Angeles and we used to travel south to that country. The cheese is a crumbly, pungent, aged-curd cheese that can range in consistency from soft to very hard. I selected the Los Fortales brand, a hard variety available at cheese shops and some specialty foods shops. I served it with real wild Alaskan baked salmon, making a perfect celebration meal. The whole family loved it!
VEGETABLE INGREDIENT HELP
INGREDIENTS
4 ears of corn in the husk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon cayenne or chili powder, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional
3/4 cup grated cotija or feta cheese
2 limes, cut into wedges
Finely chopped cilantro, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan with grates.
NOTE: If using an outdoor grill, set rack 5 to 6-inches over glowing coals.
2. Soak corn in husks in cold water for 10 minutes. Make sure the entire ear in submerged.
3. Grate the cotija cheese on the small teardrop-shaped holes on the grater. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
4. Drain corn and grill until the husks are charred, about 10 minutes. Turn them every few minutes so they are grilled evenly.
5. Shuck corn and grill until the kernels are browned in spots, about 10 minutes.
Whisk together mayonnaise, cayenne and lemon juice.
SARAH SAYS: I used a stovetop grill pan.
6. Brush mayonnaise mixture onto the hot corn, and immediately sprinkle with cotija. Sprinkle with cilantro.
SERVE
Serve immediately with lime wedges.
