Esquites Don Fermin ★ 4.4
Esquites Don Fermin in Mexico City is the Condesa Citlaltepetl evening cart where an esquite with mayo, cotija, chile and lime runs about 50 to 60 pesos.
Try: Esquites cup with elote
History
Esquites comes from the Nahuatl izquitl (toasted corn) and dates to Pre-Hispanic Mexico, where toasted maize was the traveller's food. The modern version uses fresh white corn boiled with the wild herb epazote and finished hot with mayonnaise, cotija and chile. The dish dominates the late afternoon and early evening across Mexico City sidewalks, from cart counters in Hipodromo Condesa to market vendors in Coyoacan, Roma and Jamaica.
Common allergens: Egg, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut off the cob
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Small handful fresh epazote leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Water to cover
- Salt
- 120g Mexican mayonnaise (Mexican mayo with lime is ideal)
- 150g cotija cheese, crumbled (or Greek feta)
- 1 teaspoon ground chile piquin
- 2 limes, cut in wedges
Method
- Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels and saute 5 minutes, stirring, until some begin to char and pop.
- Add the onion and garlic. Cook 2 minutes more.
- Add water to barely cover (about 250ml), the epazote and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes until the corn is tender and most of the liquid has reduced.
- Remove the epazote stems. Ladle the hot corn and a little broth into deep cups or bowls.
- Top each cup generously with mayonnaise (stir it through), crumbled cotija, a pinch of chile piquin and a big squeeze of lime. Eat with a spoon.
Tip from the editors. Use the freshest sweet corn you can find. If you can't find epazote, skip it rather than substitute; cilantro doesn't translate.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat esquites
Esquites in Mexico City
Mercado de Coyoacan ★ 4.5
Mercado de Coyoacan in Mexico City is the southern neighbourhood market on Ignacio Allende near the Frida Kahlo Museum, a 350-vendor traditional market with the yellow-and-orange Tostadas Coyoacan stalls at its core.
Mercado Roma ★ 4.3
Mercado Roma in Mexico City is the Roma Norte gourmet food hall on Queretaro, a three-floor market with 50-plus vendors covering Mexican, Italian, Venezuelan, Japanese and Spanish kitchens plus a rooftop biergarten.
Mercado Jamaica ★ 4.3
Mercado Jamaica in Mexico City is the 24-hour flower-and-food market east of the Centro, the 1957 institution with 1,100 vendors selling flowers, esquites, tamales and the city's deepest fresh-flower hall.
More cities are in research. Want esquites covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.