Editor’s Note: Holla. It’s Memorial Day Week! As we usually do in our Recipes section, we ask our favorite vendors – or in today’s case, VendrTV host – to share their secrets. This week, we’re sharing a new recipe every day so you’re ready to go this weekend with perfect pulled pork, expertly-executed hot dogs, and a potato salad to shame all side dishes. Is there a favorite street food you’d like us to recreate? Email me at amy@vendr.tv to get your street food recipe on VendrTV. Today’s recipe comes from our very own Dan Delaney.

Since childhood, my favorite part of Memorial Day backyard barbecues was feasting on juicy, grilled corn drenched in butter and salt. I’d plow through each row of golden kernels like a typewriter carriage; my teeth being the depressed hammers. School work never tasted so good. As I grew up, the BBQ apron was eventually passed on to me. It was time to play. A year or two ago, I busted out a classic elotes recipe to jazz up that year’s corn, knowing full well that mayo and cheese on corn was something my family had never had and might be apprehensive about. But good taste shines through and moments later I was left with a pile of cobs sucked dry of the golden crowns they once adorned.

Elotes and esquites are traditional Mexican street fare and are widely found in Latin sections of most metropolitan cities. Both consist of roasted corn and toppings that hit savory, tart, spicy, and salty notes. Perfect! As for the difference? That’s simple! Equites is off the cob, in a cup with some broth. Elotes are on the cob. Enjoy!

Elotes

Ingredients

• A corn cob per person, trimmed of husk.
• Cayenne pepper
• Fresh cut lime wedges
• Mayonaise
• Butter
• Finely crumbled Cotija cheese (Use finely crumbled Feta or Parmesan if you can’t find Cotija)

Directions

1. Grill your corn. Add butter, as the fire adds nice char marks.
2. Coat the entire corn in mayonnaise. Be sure to get in the cracks!
3. Sprinkle or roll the corn in the Cotija cheese. Make sure it’s completely coated!
4. Dust cayenne pepper on top to taste.
5. Spritz with fresh squeezed lime.
6. Serve hot and eat with your hands. Enjoy!

Need more elote love? Check out the Cart Crawl with Joe DiStefano episode of VendrTV below!

• A Triborough Tour On Ten Dollars
• Cart Crawl w/ Joe DiStefano (Jackson Heights, Queens)
• The King of Falafel and Schwarma (Astoria, NY)