Chef notes
This recipe is a mashup of two amazingly delicious snacks: esquites (or Mexican street corn) and hushpuppies. Esquites are common throughout Mexico and can be made using a number of different flavorings like tomatillos, shrimp, chorizo, dried chiles and mole. The most basic version is fresh corn sauteed in oil, butter or lard and cooked with onion, garlic, fresh and dried chiles and topped with chopped herbs, crema and queso. In this recipe, we take the traditional preparation for esquites and fold them into a cornmeal batter and fry them up like a Southern hushpuppy and serve them with a salsa blanca, a white salsa made with crema and mayonnaise.
Technique tip: Batter can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Scoop cold batter directly into hot oil and fry.
Special equipment: Deep-fry thermometer.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup crema, crème fraiche or sour cream
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium chile poblano, stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 medium white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 chiles de árbol, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 large ear)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- vegetable oil, for frying (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine-grind cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Preparation
For the salsa blanca:
Add mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, serranos, lime zest and sea salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
For the esquites:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Cook the chile poblano, onion, garlic and chile de árbol, tossing occasionally, until the onion is tender and just beginning to brown, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the corn, parsley, oregano and salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until the corn is cooked through and just beginning to brown, for 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool until ready to make the fritters.
For the fritters:
1.Pour oil into a large heavy pot to come halfway up sides and fit with thermometer. Heat oil over high until thermometer registers 350 F.
2.Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl to combine. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add melted butter, egg and buttermilk to well. Gradually incorporate into dry ingredients, mixing from the center out, until a thick, smooth batter forms. Add esquites and mix gently just to evenly disperse (be careful not to overmix).
3.Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop and working in 2 to 3 batches, carefully drop balls of batter into oil and fry, turning often with a spider or a slotted spoon and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until fritters are puffed and deep golden all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and let cool slightly.
To serve:
Serve fritters warm with salsa blanca alongside for dipping.
