The secret to this dish, the one Dieterle says people freak out
over, is a very simple technique. You cook fresh corn (and this
works best with fresh corn in summer, but you can do like
Harold’s mom and use frozen corn if you want—though Dieterle
wouldn’t) in cream and then blend it when it’s soft. To that corn
puree you add more fresh corn kernels and continue cooking; what
you end up with is a creamy, corny (the good kind of corny)
mixture that has both the depth of flavor of cooked corn and the
freshness of corn straight from the cob. No wonder it’s so
popular.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Kernels from 6 ears of corn, cut straight off the cob (make
sure to scrape to get all the goodness* off there), half
reserved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped chives, for sprinkling
Heat the oil in a medium pot for 30 seconds and then add the
shallots and garlic. Cook until fragrant but not brown.
Add half of the corn and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the cream and stir. Cook on medium heat until the corn is
cooked (careful that the cream doesn’t boil too much), 5 to 10