Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 4 cups corn kernels (freshly cut off about 5 ears) or 20 oz of frozen corn

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 small jalapeño pepper finely minced, seeded and deribbed

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• ½ cup Mexican crema

• Juice of 1 lime plus more lime wedges for garnish

• ½ cup cotija cheese crumbled, plus more for topping

• ½ cup sliced fresh scallions (green parts only)

• ¼ cup finely chopped and firmly packed cilantro

• 1 teaspoon chili powder plus more for garnish

Steps

1. If using fresh corn on the cob, shuck the corn and hold an ear of corn vertically over a bowl and using a sharp knife, carefully cut the kernels off the cob

   1. Continue cutting the corn off the cob so you have 4 cups of corn kernels

2. In your serving bowl, combine ½ cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup of Mexican crema, the juice of 1 lime, ½ cup of crumbled cotija cheese, ½ cup of fresh sliced scallions, ¼ cup of finely chopped and firmly packed cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of chili powder 

3. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed saute pan and heat the oil until shimmering over medium heat

4. Add the 4 cups of corn kernels to the heated oil and cook until toasted and charred

5. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1 finely minced jalapeño pepper to the corn and stir and saute for 1 minute

6. Transfer the warmed corn to the bowl with the dressing and stir to combine

7. Serve the esquites in a small cup with some more cotija cheese and chili powder sprinkled on top

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