This is my son, Dante's, favorite summer dish at Craft, and it's not hard to figure out why; the white corn, already sweet to begin with, is served in a "cream" derived naturally from puréed corn, further intensifying the corn flavor. Unlike corn on the cob, which is best eaten straight from the field, corn that is a day or two old may work even better here, since some of the natural sugars will have converted to starch, allowing for a thicker cream.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　10 ears of white corn

　　5 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon

　　

Step 1

Shuck half the corn and remove the kernels from the husks. Place the corn in a blender and discard the cobs and husks. Purée the corn with 1/3 cup water. Press the purée through a fine sieve and reserve.

　　

Step 2

Shuck the remaining corn, cut the kernels from the cobs, and reserve. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved corn, salt, and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is almost tender, about 7 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, transfer the strained corn purée into a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Cook gently, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, about 3 minutes. Season the purée with salt and pepper. Remove the corn and onion mixture from the heat and stir in the corn cream. Add the tarragon and adjust the seasoning if necessary with salt and pepper.

　　Craft of Cooking by Tom ColicchioClarkson Potter