The Sweet Vegetable You Should Be Adding To Guacamole

Guacamole is certainly popular in American households – and, indeed, this Mexican dip is a firm favorite at many tables worldwide. The creamy avocado spread is a complement to many dishes, from the traditional pairing of crispy tortillas, to adding that little something extra to burgers, deviled eggs, jerky, salads, rice cakes, pizza, and even just spread on toast. Travel to Mexico (with your taste buds, anyway) and you'll find guacamole made with a little twist that takes it up a notch. Called elote-style guacamole, this version of grilled corn and avocado guacamole has sweet corn added along with onion, jalapeño, diced tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. 

The sweet corn, which is usually roasted or grilled, adds a sweet and smoky flavor to the guac, with the lime bringing in a delightful tanginess. Original elote is a Mexican street food, which is now enjoyed in countries worldwide. Translated from Spanish, it means "corn cob," and it consists of corn grilled on the cob to get that delicious, smoky flavor roasted into it before it's topped with a mix of ingredients. These usually include mayonnaise or crema, lime juice, cilantro, Cotija cheese, and a sprinkle of chili powder. It's sweet, tangy, and creamy all in one.

To prep your corn for use in guacamole, we recommend grilling your corn on the cob and in the husk. The husk acts like a mini steamer, keeping all the moisture inside and effectively steaming the kernels. But you still get that lovely, smoky thread of flavor from the char-grilling that infuses into them, too. This method of cooking will also prevent excessive charring. If you enjoy a deeper smokiness in your corn, you can remove the husks and silks (this is called shucking), brush your corn with a bit of cooking oil, and place the ears onto the grill on a medium-high heat. Turn them every three to five minutes so all the kernels get cooked; this should take about 15 minutes in total. Then, slice the kernels off and add them to your guac along with the other ingredients.

Prefer the hob or stovetop? No sweat. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet on medium heat. Cut your fresh kernels off the cob, then chuck them along with your chopped onion and jalapeños into the skillet and cook them for a few minutes until they are slightly charred. Then, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool fully before mixing them in with your avos and remaining ingredients. You can also use canned corn — even the creamed version — for a different texture and flavor, or frozen corn after it's been defrosted and drained. If you can't get ahold of Cotija cheese, good replacements include feta, Grana Padano, Pecorino, or queso fresco (this is one instance where Cotija and queso fresco are interchangeable). Another switch is changing out the jalapeño for paprika or smoked paprika for added smokiness.