🔗 Share this article Don't Discard Your Parmigiano Crust – It's a Superb Flavor Booster – Recipe Parmesan rinds represent the best zero-waste hack – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance stews, gravies and all sorts, adding incredible taste in the form of savory richness and creamy texture. Stored in the refrigerator or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a thrifty, creamy corn orzo that converts a handful of basic items into comforting autumn fare. Creamed Corn Orzo This dish came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a traditional tomato pasta to finish that half-bag in the cupboard remaining after making a cold pasta dish, but wanted something more seasonal. Fresh corn cobs are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and during their brief season I eat them weekly. Following this approach, I believed it would be good to use the whole cob – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the used cores. That extra flavour, combined with a cheese crust, shallot, dairy spread and a dash of cream or liquid, turns a single cob into a generous and deeply satisfying dish for two. Feeds two people well One ear of sweet corn 50 grams of butter 1 medium onion, skinned and diced Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 250 grams of orzo pasta 40-50g parmesan rind – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese 100 milliliters of heavy cream, optional Sea salt and ground pepper Extra-virgin olive oil, to finish To get the most flavour from your corn cob, place it upright, cut off the kernels in long strips, then break up the cobs by hand. Next, with a spoon, quickly scrape the thick, creamy residue from the cobs into a container. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, cover and leave to cook on a low heat. 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 add the corn kernels and orzo, and saute for three minutes. Introduce the cheese rind, heavy cream, if preferred, and the reserved corn pulp, heat until bubbling and cook for two minutes, mixing to prevent sticking or burning. Strain the hot corn stock into the pasta pot, heat until boiling, then lower to a gentle boil and cook, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the orzo is al dente and the combination is smooth and fluid; include more water if needed. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with additional butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.