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The hard ends of Parmesan cheese are the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enrich stews, gravies and various dishes, providing pure deliciousness in the form of umami depth and smooth consistency. Kept in the fridge 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 cozy fall food.

Creamed Corn Orzo

This dish was a happy accident, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a classic tomato orzo to use up that half-bag in the cupboard remaining after making a pasta salad, but desired a dish fitting the season. Sweet corn on the cob are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, as short-lived as asparagus, and during their brief season I enjoy them often. Following this approach, I thought it would be good to use the whole cob – not only the juicy seeds, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the spent cobs. The additional taste, combined with a parmesan rind, onion, butter and a dash of cream or liquid, turns a single cob into a generous and very fulfilling meal for two people.

Feeds two people well

• One ear of sweet corn
• 50g butter
• One medium-sized onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 250 grams of orzo pasta
• 40-50g parmesan rind – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese
• 100ml double cream, optional
• Sea salt and ground pepper
• High-quality olive oil, to finish

To get the most flavour from your corn cob, stand it on one end, slice off the kernels lengthwise, then break up the cobs by hand. After that, with a spoon, swiftly remove the thick, creamy residue from the cobs into a bowl. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750 milliliters of water, heat until boiling, 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, sauté softly, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until tender, then include the corn and pasta, and cook for three more minutes. Introduce the cheese rind, heavy cream, if preferred, and the saved corn residue, heat until bubbling and cook for two minutes, stirring to make sure the mix doesn’t catch and burn.

Drain the warm corn broth into the orzo pan, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the combination is smooth and fluid; add a little extra water to loosen. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and dish up topped with additional butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.