Esquites

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Yucatan street-food vendors connection esquites arsenic fresh, warmed maize kernels successful a cup, topped with crema, cotija cheese, chili pulverization and a compression of lime juice. Here, roasted poblanos and caller reddish doorbell capsicum amp up the colour and flavor.

Leftover recado spice blend tin beryllium stored astatine country somesthesia for up to 6 months. The maize substance needs to remainder for 30 minutes.

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 10 (makes 4 cups)

3 tablespoons full achromatic peppercorns
3 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano, lightly toasted (see NOTE)
20 full cloves
20 allspice berries
13 bay leaves (8 of them breached up)
3/4 cupful extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
Kernels from 5 oregon 6 ample ears caller maize (4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons good oversea salt
1 cupful diced reddish doorbell pepper
1 1/2 cups diced roasted poblano chile capsicum (see NOTES)
1/2 cupful thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cupful caller lime juice, positive wedges for serving
Mexican crema, for serving
3 1/2 ounces crumbled cotija cheese, for serving
Ground cayenne pepper, for serving

Nutritional Facts

Per serving

Calories
210
Fat
17 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Carbohydrates
15 g
Sodium
330 mg
Protein
2 g
Fiber
3 g
Sugar
3 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from "Yucatan: Recipe From a Culinary Expedition," by David Sterling (University of Texas Press, 2014).

Tested by Johnna Rowe.

Published July 22, 2014

Updated March 15, 2026