Never Discard That Parmesan Rind – It's a Superb Stock Cube – Recipe

The hard ends of Parmesan cheese are the best zero-waste hack – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enhance soups, gravies and various dishes, adding incredible taste in the form of savory richness and smooth consistency. Stored in the refrigerator or icebox, they keep almost indefinitely. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a budget-friendly, creamy corn orzo that transforms a few simple ingredients into comforting autumn fare.

Corn and Orzo Delight

The meal came about by chance, and had everyone asking for seconds. Originally, the idea was a classic tomato orzo to use up that half-bag in the pantry left over from making a pasta salad, but desired a dish fitting the season. Sweet corn on the cob are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and during their brief season I enjoy them often. In the spirit of this column, I thought it would be good to utilize the entire corn – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the spent cobs. That extra flavour, combined with a parmesan rind, shallot, dairy spread and a splash of cream or water, turns a single cob into a generous and deeply satisfying dish for two.

Serves 2 generously

• One ear of sweet corn
• 50 grams of butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 250 grams of orzo pasta
• 40-50g parmesan rind – shred and save leftover cheese
• 100 milliliters of heavy cream, optional
• Salt and black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to finish

For maximum taste from the corn, place it upright, slice off the kernels lengthwise, then separate the cobs manually. After that, with a spoon, swiftly remove the thick, creamy residue from the cobs into a container. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750 milliliters of water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil, put a lid on and allow to simmer slowly.

Melt the butter in a second large pan on a medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook gently, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until soft, then include the corn and pasta, and saute for three minutes. Add the parmesan rind, double cream, if using, and the reserved corn pulp, heat until bubbling and simmer for two minutes, mixing to prevent sticking or burning.

Drain the warm corn broth into the orzo pan, heat until boiling, then lower to a gentle boil and simmer, stirring frequently, for about seven minutes, until the orzo is al dente and the mixture is loose and creamy; add a little extra water to loosen. Season to taste, and dish up topped with additional butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.