Cooking Class with Chef Ivan Flowers Lesson 35 - Grilled Corn

These last couple weeks I’ve had summer and grilling on my mind. Now all the main courses for outdoor eating are great, but what about the sides? This week I will teach you a side dish utilizing grilled corn that you will want at every one of your summer meals.

What is this wonderful dish? It is esquite, pronounced es-key-tay, a grilled corn dish that originated in Northern Mexico. The flavors are very similar to elote which is sold from carts in Mexico. Elote is grilled or roasted corn on the cob, smothered in mayonnaise, sprinkled with spices and then topped with cotija cheese (very similar to Parmesan). Well, esquite uses all those same ingredients, but it is served off the cob and in a bowl. This class I will teach you how to make my version of esquite.

Now let’s get cooking!

Before I go into what you will need to cook this dish, let’s talk about grilling corn. I know that many people like to leave the corn in the husk when they are grilling it, but I like it out of the husk. Why? Because if you leave on the husk, the corn steams, I want that smoky grilled flavor that comes from placing the husked corn cob right on the grill. For this recipe, that is the way the corn is prepared and the smokiness from the grill is an integral part of its flavor profile.

This recipe will serve four people and for it you will need: a large bowl, a pastry brush, four ears of corn, 1/4 cup canola oil, salt, pepper, 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/8 teaspoon cumin, 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic, one tablespoon chopped cilantro, juice of 2 limes, one tablespoon mayonnaise, one tablespoon Parmesan, one diced avocado, twelve halved cherry tomatoes, 2 teaspoons olive oil, two teaspoons red wine vinegar, ½ cup goat cheese and extra limes cut into wedges for garnish.

First you must grill the corn, so get your grill very hot. You want the rods hot without any live flame. Husk the corn and then using the pastry brush, apply canola oil to all the ears and sprinkle them all with a little salt. Place them on the grill and cook about seven minutes. Remember to rotate the corn as you grill it so it cooks evenly. Once the corn has cooled, you will need to remove the kernels from the cob. I think the easiest way to do this is to cut off the end so you have a flat base on the cob. This allows you to hold the corn steady as you run a sharp knife down the cob to remove the kernels. Place all kernels in a large bowl. Next, add in the juice of one lime. Now, add in all your dry seasonings and stir to distribute. After that, add in your mayonnaise and Parmesan. Stir again. Now it is time to add the cilantro. Stir once more and taste.

This is when you are checking your seasonings. If it needs salt or pepper, add it now. Once it is seasoned, set it aside.

The next part of this recipe involves all the fabulous toppings that go on the esquite. For the avocado, you want to dice it, squeeze the juice of one lime over it and then salt and pepper to taste. The cherry tomatoes, you will cut in half and then dress with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Why do we take the time to season these ingredients? Because truly delicious food is seasoned at every level, this type of seasoning is what makes the difference between something tasting good and something tasting absolutely delicious.

Now top your bowl of esquite with the avocados and cherry tomatoes. Lastly, crumble the goat cheese on top. That’s it!

You can serve this dish warm or at room temperature. I like to serve it with extra lime wedges so people can add some more lime if they wish. The smoky pop of the sweet corn, mixed with the creaminess of the mayonnaise and avocado, accented by the sharp saltiness of the Parmesan is out of this world.

This is also great atop fish tacos, pasta salads and as a chunky dip served with tortilla chips. Have fun with this dish. Add in more mayonnaise, make it spicy with red peppers or jalapenos, the sky is the limit.

As with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what helps you create delicious meals you'll never forget.

Check out last week's cooking lesson right here.

Chef Ivan Flowers brings 25 years of fine cuisine experience to Top of The Market, San Diego. Prior to becoming Executive Chef at Top of The Market, Chef Flowers owned Fournos restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, named a top 25 restaurant in Arizona. He was also Executive Chef at L’Auberge de Sedona, the AAA Four-Diamond, Four Star award winning restaurant. Flowers has created extraordinary cuisine for some of the finest restaurants in Arizona, including T. Cooks at Scottsdale's Royal Palms Resort and the Phoenician's Mary Elaine's and Different Pointe of View.