🔗 Share this article

The hard ends of Parmesan cheese represent the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance soups, sauces and all sorts, providing pure deliciousness in the form of savory richness and creamy texture. Stored in the refrigerator or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. This week’s recipe uses them in a budget-friendly, creamy corn orzo that transforms a handful of basic items into comforting autumn fare.

Corn and Orzo Delight

The meal came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a classic tomato orzo to finish that half-bag in the cupboard remaining after making a cold pasta dish, but desired a dish fitting the season. Fresh corn cobs are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and while they are available I enjoy them often. In the spirit of this column, I believed it would be beneficial to utilize the entire corn – not just the sweet kernels, but also the thick, tasty residue and the spent cobs. That extra flavour, combined with a cheese crust, shallot, dairy spread and a dash of cream or liquid, transforms a one ear of corn into a hearty and very fulfilling meal for two people.

Serves 2 generously

• 1 fresh corn cob
• 50 grams of butter
• One medium-sized onion, skinned and diced
• Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 250 grams of orzo pasta
• 40 to 50 grams of Parmesan crust – shred and save leftover cheese
• 100 milliliters of heavy cream, optional
• Sea salt and ground pepper
• High-quality olive oil, to finish

To get the most flavour from your corn cob, 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 bowl. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750ml water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and allow to simmer slowly.

Melt the butter in a separate big skillet on a medium-low heat. Put in the onion and garlic, cook gently, mixing, for about five minutes, until tender, then include the corn and pasta, and saute for three minutes. Add the parmesan rind, double cream, if using, and the saved corn residue, heat until bubbling and cook for two minutes, mixing to prevent sticking or burning.

Strain the hot corn stock into the pasta pot, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle boil and cook, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the mixture is loose and creamy; add a little extra water to loosen. Season to taste, and dish up topped with extra butter and a sprinkling of the reserved grated parmesan.