What type of cheese do they put on their corn when they get done grilling it in Chicago?

 Chicago grilled corn (which is not exactly in the mainstream, although you say it like it's the most common dish in the world) is a variation of elote, a street-food grilled corn preparation in Mexico. The corn is grilled with the stem attached and the husk either on or folded down around the stem, which, once folded down, serves as a convenient handle for eating the corn once it's done.

Elote can be dressed with butter, mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice, and with or without chili powder, cayenne, and even garlic.

The grated or crumbled cheese that the corn is rolled in is called cotijo or queso anejado, literally "aged cheese." This strongly flavored, cow's-milk cheese comes in two versions, a dry, firm cheese with a texture approaching Parmesan, and a crumbly, semidry cheese with a texture more like feta.

Cotijo is not easy to find in this country unless you have access to a Mexican market. We have seen recipes that allow you to substitute grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano or crumbled feta, if you can't find either version of the real thing.

Submit your question
to Ochef