Have you guys heard of Cotija cheese before? It’s basically like a Mexican form of Parmesan, and it’s got a wonderful, crumbly texture that’s kind of creamy and kind of salty. I’ve recently discovered Cotija and it immediately became my new favorite type of cheese!

There are lots of things you can do with Cotija, but the recipe that caught my eye and made me buy some was Elote, a.k.a “Mexican street corn”. I’m told that grilled, seasoned corn is an incredibly popular street food in Mexico, and after having tasted it, I completely understand why. I’d like to share with you my version of this classic recipe.

Here’s what you need:

• corn on the cob
• sour cream
• mayonnaise
• Cotija cheese
• chili powder
• lime wedges

To start off, husk the corn and cut the cobs in half. Then stick a wooden skewer into each cob. (Soak the skewers in water first to keep them from burning on the grill.)

Wrap the corn in aluminum foil and cook it on the grill. (And yes, you could have easily grilled it with the husks on, but I find that it’s far easier to cut the cobs and put the sticks in BEFORE they are smoking hot, and that means removing the husks.)

Turn the corn frequently while cooking, until you get yummy, golden, roasted kernels.

Now grab two things you probably never thought you would put on corn — mayo and sour cream. Trust me, it’ll be good! Mix equal parts of each in a bowl (use about 1/4 cup of each for 8 half-cobs of corn). Spread a fairly thick layer of the mixture onto the corn.

Now cover the entire thing with Cotija cheese, either by sprinkling it on or by rolling the corn in the cheese. The mayo/sour cream mixture will make the cheese stick.

Sprinkle each cob with chili powder, to taste, then squeeze a lime wedge over the top.

And now you have the best tasting corn you’ve ever had! The combination of flavors is amazing. The sweet roasted corn combines with the saltiness of the cheese, the spice of the chili powder, and the tang of the lime juice to form a taste explosion. Yum!

Once you’ve tried this cheese, you might be like me and love it so much that you want to use it elsewhere. I have already used it in two other ways that are fantastic. For example, I sprinkled it on my salad last night for dinner, and it was wonderful!

I also used Cotija cheese recently as a topping for some homemade potato chips, and it was amazing. I just thinly sliced potatoes and fried them in vegetable oil, then sprinkled them with salt, pepper, thyme, and the cheese. Oh man, I could eat a giant plate of these right now!

Have any of you used Cotija cheese before? If so, we’d love to hear some of your favorite uses and recipes.