Esquite and Elote

According to the Mayan creation story of the Popol Vuh, the gods first made man from mud and then from wood. After these two unsuccessful human prototypes and a flood to wipe them out, the gods decided on corn - and so began the slightly cannibalistic love affair that Meso-Americans have with corny cuisine.

Everyone knows of tortillas and chips; most are familiar with masa and its makings (like empanadas); but I don't feel that many people know how much fresh corn is featured in Mexican cuisine. Elote (on the cob) and esquite (just the kernels) rank among tacos and tortas in Mexico's favorite street foods. This, however, is not the Jersey sweet corn, smothered with squeezable "butter" at your Labor Day BBQ. Mexican corn is not sweet, and is traditionally served slathered with mayonnaise, rolled in grated cheese and sprinkled with chile powder. Once you get past the foreign flavor combination (and, I admit, it can take a while), this is quite tasty, both in a cup or on a stick.

Ingredients

4 ears of corn

4 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 cup queso añejo, cotija or fresco (or finely grated parmesan)

2 tsp. chile powder

Directions

1 - Prepare the corn on the cob however you like - boiled or grilled. (Grilled in the husk is the popular way here - if you have a grill and want to be authentic.)

2 - Slather each ear of corn with 1 tablespoon of mayo.

3 - Sprinkle 1/4 cup of finely grated cheese on the mayo (it will stick to the mayo).

4 - Sprinkle each cob with 1/2 teaspoon chile powder (or as much as you can take; it will also stick to the mayo).

5 - For esquite, fill a cup with cooked corn (fresh, can, frozen - your choice), top with the mayo, cheese and chile powder.

6 - Enjoy either way!

Enfrijoladas

I personally am not a huge fan of earthy flavors, like mushrooms and beans and the like, but after 8 months, I'm starting to feel like I can't describe my blog as a Mexican food blog if I don't start talking about frijoles.

Beans are an important part of Mexican cuisine, but for the non-wealthy, they're downright vital. (Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, right?) When I lived in Martinez de la Torre, beans were always at the ready on the stove for a breakfast, lunch or dinner option, but they weren't the Goya cans so predominant and convenient stateside. Instead, every other morning, my suegra would fill a pot with water and at least 2 kgs of frijoles and cook them outside over a wood burning stove for several hours.

Now, down here, rice and beans are popular enough in authentic Mexican cuisine, but their inclusion with every meal at chains like On The Border and Chi-Chi's (which means boobies, by the way) is not quite reflective of my frijol experiences. The most common use of beans that I see is enfrijoladas, and, similar to the previous mentioned enchiladas and enmoladas, enfrijoladas, a true staple of Mexican cuisine, are lightly fried tortillas slathered with refried beans and possibly topped with some garnish or accompanied by an egg.

Ingredients
20 corn tortillas
1 can of pinto or black beans (or refried beans)
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
oil for frying

Directions

1 - Open a can of beans, but do NOT drain them. Heat some oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the beans along with their bean juice. Fry the beans until soft, and then squish with the back of a wooden spoon or a masher. (Or, puree the can of beans in a blender beofore sauteing.) Add salt and pepper to taste, and set the hot beans aside.

2 - In another pan, heat some more oil over a low flame. Lightly fry the tortillas, about 30 seconds on each side.

3 - Immediately dip the tortillas in the warm beans, and remove to a plate. Fold it over on itself (like a quesadilla).

4 - Once all the tortillas are done and the plates are full, sprinkle the enfrijoladas with the cheese and raw onions.

5 - They are generally eaten with your fingers (which is fun, but not terribly dignified) and at any time of the day.

Mexican Cheese Blend

17% Cheddar, shredded

17% Monterrey Jack, shredded

33% Queso Asadero (grill cheese), shredded

33% Manchego, shredded

The most popular cheeses in Mexico are white and mild, slightly salty and predominantly used to extinguish the fire in your mouth from any number of spicy dishes. Queso fresco, queso asadero y queso de hebra (or queso oaxaqueño) are the most common cheeses in Mexico (at least in any place that I've been, which, granted has only been two places).

As delicious as those cheeses are (and I really do love them), sometimes my gringa palate wants something stronger. Many of the Mexican foods adopted into U.S. culture have been upgraded to bolder cheeses based on that desire. When I'm in the mood for American style enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos or nachos, I usually go to Costco for their Kirkland 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (which a highly recommend). But, thanks to Julio Regalado and his 3x2 cheese sale and some late night nacho cravings, I was able to develop this most delicious, super melty cheese blend, mixing mild Mexican and bold American cheese. It is wonderful on the aforementioned foods, as well as on burgers, chicken finger sandwiches, sopes and white rice (when money's a little tight).