What is Elote?
Elote is a popular Mexican street food known for its delicious combination of flavors. It typically consists of grilled corn on the cob topped with mayo, lime juice, chili powder, cotija cheese, and cilantro. The grilled corn provides a smoky and sweet taste, while the mayo adds creaminess. Lime juice offers tanginess, and chili powder brings a mild heat. Cotija cheese contributes a salty and slightly tangy flavor, and cilantro adds freshness. This delightful combination of flavors has made elote a beloved street food in Mexico and beyond, offering a satisfying and delicious snack or side dish.
How Did Elote Become Popular?
Elote’s rise to global culinary fame can be attributed to its irresistible combination of flavors and the power of word-of-mouth recommendations. As people traveled to Mexico and experienced the mouthwatering delight of elote, they couldn’t help but share their love for it with others. Through social media and food blogs, the popularity of elote spread like wildfire, capturing the attention of food enthusiasts worldwide. Its simple yet flavorful components, including grilled corn, mayo, lime juice, chili powder, cheese, and cilantro, struck a chord with taste buds everywhere. The accessibility and adaptability of elote also contributed to its global appeal, leading to its presence in food festivals, food trucks, and restaurants around the world.
What are the Key Components of Traditional Elote?
Traditional elote consists of grilled corn on the cob topped with a few essential ingredients. Grilled corn provides a smoky and slightly charred flavor. The corn is then slathered with mayo, which adds a creamy richness. Lime juice brings a tangy and refreshing element to the dish. A sprinkle of chili powder adds a mild heat, while crumbled cotija cheese contributes a salty and slightly tangy taste. Finally, fresh cilantro is sprinkled over the elote to provide a touch of herbaceous freshness. These key components work together harmoniously to create the distinctive and beloved flavor profile of traditional elote.
Instructions:
Grilling the Corn on the Cob and Making Elote:
Start by grilling the corn on the cob until it’s cooked to perfection. You can find a recipe for elote on a website of your choice, which will guide you on how to prepare this delightful Mexican dish. You’ll be using the elote to top the bread boats later on.
Seasoning and Grilling the Steak:
Take a strip steak (or your preferred cut of steak) and season it generously with kosher salt. Fire up your grill and place the seasoned steak over direct heat. Grill each side for approximately 2 minutes until you achieve a nice sear. Then, move the steak to the indirect heat side of the grill and continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 128 degrees Fahrenheit. This method ensures a juicy and tender steak.
Resting the Steak and Hollowing out the French Loaf:
Once the steak is cooked to the desired temperature, remove it from the grill and allow it to rest for 8 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute and enhances the overall flavor. While the steak is resting, hollow out the core of a French loaf, creating a cavity that will hold the delicious ingredients.
Layering the Bread Boats:
Now it’s time to assemble the bread boats. Begin by layering Oaxaca cheese, a creamy and melty Mexican cheese, inside the hollowed-out French loaf. Next, place the grilled steak on top of the cheese layer. Finally, generously top the steak with the elote, which adds a burst of flavor and texture.
Grilling or Baking the Bread Boats:
To complete the cooking process, place the assembled bread boats on the grill or in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow them to cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bread is nicely toasted. This step ensures that all the flavors meld together and creates a delectable final product.
Garnishing and Serving:
Once the bread boats are cooked to perfection, remove them from the grill or oven. Before serving, garnish them with a dollop of Mexican Crema, a tangy and slightly acidic cream, and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley. These finishing touches add a touch of freshness and enhance the overall presentation and taste.
Steak Elote Bread Boats
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Ingredients
- Preferred cut of steak (e.g., strip steak)
- Kosher salt
- French loaf (1 whole)
- Oaxaca cheese (amount as desired)
- Chopped parsley (for garnish)
Elote
- 3 Ears of corn roasted
- 2 Poblano peppers roasted
- ½ cup Mayo
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Cotija cheese
- 1 Whole lime juiced
- 1 tbsp Lime Zest
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Chili powder
- ¾ cup Chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 cup Shredded jack cheese
Jalapeño Lime Crema (For Garnish)
- 1 cup Cilantro
- 2/3 cup Mexican Crema
- 1 tbsp Onion
- 1-2 Jalapenos
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Lime Juice
- 1 tsp Honey
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
Roast the corn and poblano peppers until charred. Remove the corn kernels from the cob and peel the blistered skin from the poblano pepper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, roasted corn, diced poblano pepper, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, cotija cheese, jack cheese, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix well.
Season your preferred cut of steak (such as strip steak) with kosher salt, ensuring that both sides are evenly coated.
Preheat your grill to direct heat. This high heat will help sear the steak and lock in its juices.
Place the seasoned steak on the grill over direct heat and cook for approximately 2 minutes per side. This quick sear will create a flavorful crust on the outside of the steak.
After searing, move the steak to the indirect heat side of the grill. This allows for slower and more gentle cooking, helping the steak reach its desired internal temperature.
Continue grilling the steak on the indirect heat side until it reaches an internal temperature of 128°F. This will result in a medium-rare steak with a pink and juicy center. You can use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature.
Once the steak is cooked to the desired temperature, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 8 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful steak.
While the steak is resting, take a French loaf and hollow out the core. This creates a space to hold the delicious ingredients of the bread boat.
After the resting period, it's time to assemble the Steak Elote Bread Boats. Begin by layering Oaxaca cheese inside the hollowed-out French loaf. The Oaxaca cheese will melt and add a creamy element to the dish.
Slice the grilled steak into thin strips and place them on top of the cheese layer within the bread boat.
Generously top the steak with the prepared elote mixture. The elote, with its roasted corn, poblano peppers, and flavorful spices, will add a burst of flavor and texture to the dish.
Now, place the assembled bread boat on the grill or in an oven preheated to 350°F. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted to your desired level of crispness. This step helps all the flavors meld together and creates a warm and delicious final product.
Once the bread boat is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
To add a finishing touch, garnish the Steak Elote Bread Boat with Mexican Crema, a tangy and creamy sauce, and chopped parsley. These garnishes enhance the presentation and add additional flavors to the dish.
Finally, cut the bread boat into individual servings and enjoy the delightful combination of juicy steak, flavorful elote, melted cheese, and crunchy bread.
Keyword bread boats, elote, elote and steak bread boats, elote bread boats, elote bread bowls, steak bread boats
Elote has captured the hearts and taste buds of people worldwide with its irresistible combination of flavors. This beloved Mexican street food, featuring grilled corn on the cob topped with mayo, lime juice, chili powder, cotija cheese, and cilantro, has become a global culinary sensation. Its rise to fame can be attributed to its delicious and accessible nature, with its smoky, creamy, tangy, and savory elements appealing to a wide range of palates.
From its humble beginnings on Mexican street corners, elote has made its way into the culinary scene across borders, bringing joy and satisfaction to food enthusiasts everywhere. Whether you enjoy traditional elote or explore innovative variations like the Steak Elote Bread Boats, this flavorful treat will continue to tantalize taste buds and remind us of the power of simple yet exquisite street food creations. So, go ahead and savor the magic of elote—it’s a culinary experience that will leave you craving more.
Items used in This Recipe
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