Esquites (Mexican street corn).Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Much of the fun of camping is in the novelty of bringing the comforts of daily living out into the great outdoors: sleeping under the stars, constructing a living room among the trees, and cooking over an open fire. (Or a tiny Coleman stove, depending on wildfire conditions.)
There is a thrill in the simplicity of an outdoor kitchen, arranged on picnic tables and tree stumps … of cooking food over a flame, skewered on sticks. (I recall as a kid being dispatched into the woods to find perfectly straight branches to use for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.)
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A single cast-iron skillet can replace a drawer full of pots and pans – sturdy enough to sit on a grate over the campfire or directly on hot coals. Ideal for cooking everything from pancakes to fresh-caught fish to deep-dish pizza to pie or fruit crisp for dessert. And when corn is in season, it’s perfect for making esquites – a skillet version of elotes, grilled Mexican street corn, dressed up with chilies, green onion, spices, mayo and lime. Intense direct heat chars and caramelizes the corn, and fire adds a delicious smokiness. It’s easy to turn into a more substantial meal with black beans or chickpeas and feta, and you can use any leftovers to fill an omelette or frittata, make tacos or quesadillas, or stir into your morning skillet hash or cornbread batter.
Recipe: Esquites
Outside is the best place to shuck corn and shave kernels off the cob; it may look like a long list of ingredients, but beyond corn, some seasonings and a bit of mayo, you can use what you have, and not worry about measurements. Crushed Doritos or other corn chips – a must on camping trips anyway – make a crunchy-salty contrast on top.
- vegetable oil, for cooking
- fresh corn (about a cob per person)
- jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
- a bit of bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- green onions, purple onions or chives, chopped
- cilantro, chopped (optional)
- chili powder, to taste
- cumin, to taste
- salt
- mayonnaise
- lime wedges
- crushed Doritos or corn chips and/or crumbled feta (optional)
Shuck your corn and cut the kernels off the cob however you like to do it – standing upright or laying on its side on a cutting board.
Set your skillet over your heat source and coat the bottom in a drizzle of oil. Add the corn and any jalapeño, bell pepper and onion you want to use – I like to save half of any green onions or chives to scatter on top for a cooked/fresh contrast. Similarly, I like to chop and add the cilantro stems, saving the leaves for on top.
Cook until the corn starts to caramelize on the edges, seasoning with chili powder, cumin and salt. Remove from the heat and stir in a spoonful of mayo, and squeeze over some lime – as with a salad, dress it to suit your taste. Serve warm, topped with crushed Doritos or corn chips and/or crumbled feta, and some extra chopped green onion or chives and cilantro leaves, if you like.