creamed Mexican street corn
There is a ubiquitous chain of barbecue restaurants in Texas that are part gas station, part general store and part bastion of smoked meat. Do they have the best barbecue in the state? Of course not. There are pitmasters across Texas doing things to brisket I would describe as masterful, even transcendent. But what this chain, Rudy's, has is good, reliable barbecue that doesn't ever sell out before 1:00 pm. That, and creamed corn. I posted a photo of this creamed corn recipe on Instagram and it was as if half the Texans I know had been waiting, with quietly harbored adoration, for permission to talk about Rudy's creamed corn. Well, here is your permission! This recipe is inspired by that creamed corn and another Texas childhood favorite: Mexican Esquites.
By taking all the craveworthy flavors of Esquites, an off-the-cob Mexican street corn salad, combined with the luscious, spoonable texture of creamed corn, you achieve something truly magical. It really straddles the line between dip and side dish. I have served it both ways and would wholeheartedly endorse either use. Personally, I'm tucking into it with a bag of (sturdy) tortilla chips.
This recipe calls for jalapeños and poblanos, but in the summer, I like to swap out some of the chilies with green hatch peppers for a seasonal kick. Or, if you're sensitive to spice, you can skip the jalapeños altogether. Homemade creamed corn often uses a heavy cream-based sauce sauce to achieve that dreamy texture. Instead, I opted for a bechamel sauce made with the addition of buttermilk to match the light tang of mayo traditionally found in Esquites. The whole thing is sprinkled with crumbled queso fresco and broiled until the top is browned and the whole thing is bubbling. What really sets this dish off is the sprinkle of chili powder, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
It gets better. This dip comes together easily, can be halved or doubled depending on your group size, and it's a true crowd pleaser. It can even (mostly) be made a day or two before serving. You will want to make this again and again.
yield 8ish servings
5 cups fresh or frozen corn (thawed and dried if frozen)
6 T unsalted butter
2 poblano peppers, finely diced (optional)
1-2 jalapenos, finely diced
1 small white onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk, plus more as needed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 ts chili powder, preferably ancho or guajillo, divided
1/2 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese, grated or finely crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
1 lime, see note (optional)
recipe prep
Preheat broiler (or heat oven to 500F). Warm a high-sided skillet or large saucepan over high heat and add corn. Cook corn, stirring occasionally until charred and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Remove corn from pan and set aside.
Return pan to medium heat and add butter. Once butter is melted, add peppers, jalapeno, onion and garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and everything has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour until smooth.
Gradually whisk in cream and buttermilk. Add sugar and half the chili powder and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add corn back to the pan. Add a splash of buttermilk or two if needed to loosen. Add salt to taste.
Transfer to a baking dish, something in the 1 1/2 quart range (don’t fuss over this too much, it’s not going in the oven very long). Sprinkle surface evenly with queso fresco. Broil 3-5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Sprinkle with remaining chili powder (and cilantro, if using) and serve immediately as a side or with tortilla chips.
the lime note If serving as a side dish, cut lime into small wedges and serve alongside. If you’re serving as a dip, squeeze a generous wedge of lime over top right before serving and cut the remainder into small wedges if people want to add more to their own personal dip situation.
do it ahead Make the dip, transfer to a baking dish, cover and chill. Take it out of the fridge an hour before serving and when it’s time, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 500F for about 5-10 minutes until warmed through, bubbly and golden brown on top. Sprinkle with chili powder and cilantro.
