I love corn on the cob. I love that it reminds me of summer. I love how messy it is. And mainly, I just love the taste of it so damn much. I’ve never met a corn on the cob that I didn’t like, but I have to say, one of my favorite versions comes out of the kitchen of Café Habana in New York City.
I’m addicted to this corn. It’s a must-have every time I go back to New York. Grilled corn on the cob doused in cotija cheese, sprinkled generously with chili powder, and finished with a squeeze of lime juice… delicious. It is sweet, salty, spicy, cheesy, and tart. It is perfection.
I had the pleasure of stuffing my face with it this past weekend when I ventured to their outpost location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. I couldn’t get that taste out of my head, so I decided to try my hand at recreating the dish as well as putting another creative spin on the classic corn on the cob.
My version of Café Habana’s Corn on the Cob
Cotija cheese is an aged Mexican hard cheese made mainly from cow’s milk. It can be crumbled or grated, and it has a sharp, tangy flavor similar to feta. I was able to find cotija cheese in New York but had trouble locating it in Evanston, so for this recipe, I substituted feta cheese instead. The flavor was slightly saltier, but the corn was delicious nonetheless.
What You’ll Need
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted
- 4 oz. feta cheese
- ½ cup of cilantro, finely chopped
- Chili powder
- 4 lime wedges
Put a large pot of water up to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a generous handful of salt, a tablespoon of sugar and the ears of corn. Cook for five minutes. Drain when finished and set aside. Brush the corn with a light coating of butter and sprinkle an ounce of feta cheese over each ear. Sprinkle 2 tbs of cilantro over each ear and top with chili powder (amount will vary depending on how much heat you want). Serve with a lime wedge; dig in!
Italian-Style Corn
I love the combination of parmesan cheese and corn. The contrasting flavors of the sharp cheese and the sweet corn really make for some satisfying bites. I like to use fresh garlic in this dish, but you could also sprinkle on some garlic powder if you want a bit more flavor.
What You’ll Need
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup of parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ¼ cup of basil, chopped finely
Put a large pot of water up to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a generous handful of salt, a tablespoon of sugar, and the ears of corn. Cook for five minutes. Drain when finished and set aside. In a small pot over low heat, heat the olive oil and garlic cloves. Allow the garlic to steep in the oil for about ten minutes, making sure that the garlic doesn’t brown.
Once the ten minutes have elapsed, brush the ears of corn with the garlic oil mixture. Combine the parmesan cheese, basil and some freshly ground black pepper on a plate and spread out in one even layer. Roll the oiled ears of corn until each is entirely coated in the cheese and herb mixture. Serve immediately.