Spatula Diaries: Use fresh local corn to make both elote and street corn dip

Fresh Louisiana corn is in season, and if you haven’t picked up a few ears from the Red Stick Farmers Market or your local farm stand, this weekend is a great time to get busy.

Corn’s sweet flavor and crisp texture means it needs minimal intervention. But who can resist using some of that local bounty for making elote? Easy, popular and packed with flavor, Mexican street corn pairs deliciously with hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, wings and other Fourth of July eats.

With a 10-minute prep time, this elote recipe is one worth returning to over and over again. Best of all, you can also remix the ingredients in our elote-inspired Mexican street corn dip.

Easy elote at home

Serves 4

4 fresh ears of corn, shucked and cleaned
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
½ cup cotija cheese
Chili powder or Tajín, for garnish
Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish
1 lime, quartered

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop ears carefully into water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. Combine mayonnaise and sour cream.

3. Using a spoon or knife, slather mixture on the surface of each ear of corn. Gently roll on parchment or foil to coat evenly.

4. Shake cotija over the surface of each ear, rotating to cover entirely.

5. Sprinkle chili powder and cilantro for garnish.

6. Serve immediately with quartered lime.

Easy Mexican street corn dip

The addition of crumbled queso fresco gives the dip extra heft—perfect for loading onto sturdy tortilla chips.

Makes about 3 cups

2 cups cooked corn
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/3 cup cotija cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
½ teaspoons chili powder or Tajín
Salt to taste
Sliced lime and cilantro for garnish
Tortilla chips for serving

1. Combine first nine ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Taste, add salt and adjust for seasoning.

3. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until dip is set and flavors have combined.

4. Serve with chips.