Whatever accolades you can pile on a chef, Thomas Keller has 'em in spades. His famous California restaurant, The French Laundry, and his New York bistro Per Se have been wowing the foodie crowds for years and earning a galaxy of coveted "Michelin stars."

Keller started another California restaurant, whimsically called "ad hoc" because it was meant to be a temporary venture while another, more permanent restaurant was being created. The ad hoc theme was family-style comfort foods - taken up a notch or two, of course. ad hoc became so popular that the restaurant became a fixture, ironic name intact.

Keller shares some of his successes in his latest cookbook, "ad hoc at home."

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While he's a great chef, he's also a great cook; it's the difference between eating at a fancy restaurant and eating at grandma's. He loves pork and extols on its deliciousness in all its varieties. Here is his simple but spot-on recipe for Rubbed and Glazed Pork Spareribs, which earned a hearty four out of four stars from the Johnson carnivores.

Rubbed and Glazed Pork Spareribs

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 slabs pork spareribs (each about 3 lbs.) cut into 3-bone portions

Combine all of the rub ingredients in a medium bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub the spareribs on all sides with the spice rub. Put on the baking sheet and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or up to six, to allow the flavors to develop and help tenderize the meat.

Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking followed by indirect-heat cooking. Place the ribs meat side down, without crowding, on the hot section of the grill and cook for about 2 minutes, until grill marks appear. Turn the ribs 90 degrees to create a crosshatch pattern and cook for another 2 minutes, or until well marked.

Transfer the ribs, meat side up, to the cool section of the grill, close the lid and cook until tender but not falling off the bones, about 2 hours; move the ribs around after the first hour so they cook evenly. The temperature of the grill should remain about 250 degrees.

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Just dreaming about summer's sweet corn is enough to make my mouth water for Creamed Summer Corn, again a simple but devastatingly delicious recipe. The freshness of the corn is the real secret ingredient, however.

Creamed Summer Corn

• 6 ears supersweet white or yellow corn, shucked
• 1 large lime
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

With a sharp knife, cut vertically down each ear of corn to slice off the kernels ; remove any silk. Put the kernels in a large bowl, then hold each cob over the bowl and use a spoon to scrape any remaining corn and the milk from the cob.

Grate the zest of the lime; set aside. Cut the lime in half. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the corn; squeeze about a tablespoon of lime juice over the corn; and season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, concentrating the flavor, and the corn is beginning to sizzle, 15 to 17 minutes.

Stir in 3/4 cup cream, the cayenne and the lime zest. Continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cream is absorbed by the corn. Add up to 1/4 cup more cream if desired for a creamier texture. Add salt to taste and stir in the chives. Serves 6.

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If you're lucky enough to have an inside source on some spring morels, try sautéing them simply with butter, shallots, thyme and Madeira - possibly the way Mother Nature meant them to be served.

Morels With Madeira

• 1 1/2 pounds morels
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
• 1/4 cup Madeira
• Kosher salt

Trim the bottoms off the morel stems and gently scrape off the outer layer of the remaining stem. Wash carefully in a bowl of warm water, making sure that any dirt inside the mushrooms or trapped in the crevices is removed. Drain the mushrooms and dry on paper towels. Repeat the washing as necessary until the water remains clear and all dirt is removed.

Melt the butter in a very large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme and Madeira, bring to a simmer, and simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the morels, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until tender, about 6 minutes. Serves 6.

"ad hoc at home" is published by Artisan; check availability online or at your local bookstore or library.