Esquites con Epazote y Chapulines
(es-KEE-tes con eh-pah-ZO-teh ee cha-poo-LEE-nes)
Antojitos & The Masa Life: Street Food at Home
The internet will try to tell you Mexican street corn is a cold, sweet summer barbecue salad tossed on a plate. The internet is lying to you. Real esquites are a hot, deeply savory, brothy braise served in a cup on a street corner. In Oaxaca, we toast starchy white corn in fat, simmer it with pungent epazote, and crown the whole thing with chapulines—toasted grasshoppers that provide an unforgettable, earthy crunch. Don't flinch. This is the real deal, adapted for a Tuesday night without losing an ounce of its soul.
Before you start
Thaw the white corn.
Take the frozen white corn out of the freezer well before cooking. Let it thaw and drain off any excess water so it fries properly in the fat rather than steaming.
Prep your aromatics in advance.
Finely dice your onion, mince your garlic, and chop your chiles before you start cooking. The sofrito moves quickly, and you don't want to burn the butter while frantically chopping a serrano.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic2 small clove
- serrano chiles2 med
- frozen white corn4 cup
- fresh epazote3 large sprig
- water or low-sodium chicken broth2 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- high-quality mayonnaise1/2 cup
- Cotija cheese1/2 cup
- chapulines1/4 cup
- limes2 large
- chile piquín powder1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Build the sofrito base in hot fat.
Place a heavy-bottomed pot or large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the butter and oil. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add the diced white onion, minced garlic, and serrano chiles, sautéing until translucent and fragrant. Don't let the garlic burn; you just want to release its soul into the fat.
- 02
Toast the corn until lightly browned.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the thawed white corn kernels. Stir well to coat the corn in the aromatic butter. Let it cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kernels toast slightly and deepen in color. The Nahuatl word for this dish translates to 'toasted corn,' and this step locks in a rich, nutty depth you can't get by just boiling it.
- 03
Braise the corn with epazote to create a starchy broth.
Pour in the water or chicken broth so it just barely covers the corn. Submerge the fresh sprigs of epazote directly into the liquid and stir in the salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- 04
Remove the epazote and adjust the seasoning.
Remove the pot from the heat. The starch from the white corn will have thickened the liquid slightly into a highly aromatic broth. Fish out the wilted epazote stems and discard them—their flavor is fully extracted. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if necessary.
- 05
Serve in a cup with the cooking liquid.
Do not drain the corn. Ladle the hot kernels along with a few spoonfuls of their hot, starchy broth into individual cups. Top each with a generous swipe of mayonnaise, a heavy sprinkle of crumbled Cotija cheese, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a dusting of chile powder. Finally, crown the dish with a handful of crunchy chapulines and serve immediately.
Notes
Sourcing the right corn is non-negotiable.
Standard American yellow sweet corn will ruin this dish, making it watery and cloying. You need the starch of white corn. A bag of frozen white corn from the Latin market is cheap, accessible, and vastly superior to fresh yellow corn for this technique.
Embrace the chapulines.
Grasshoppers might seem daunting, but they are a hallmark of Oaxacan gastronomy. They arrive from the market fully cooked, toasted with lime and salt, and provide an essential, earthy crunch that cuts right through the rich mayo and cheese. Don't skip them.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.