🔗 Share this article Never Throw Away Your Parmesan Crust – It Is an Excellent Stock Cube – Recipe Parmesan rinds represent the best sustainable kitchen trick – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enhance soups, sauces and various dishes, providing incredible taste in the form of umami depth and smooth consistency. Stored in the fridge or freezer, they last for a very long time. This week’s recipe incorporates them in a budget-friendly, rich corn and pasta dish that converts a few simple ingredients into cozy fall food. Creamed Corn Orzo The meal came about by chance, and had everyone asking for seconds. Originally, the idea was a traditional tomato pasta to finish 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 autumn’s fleeting treats, as short-lived as asparagus, 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 thick, tasty residue and the used cores. The additional taste, paired with a cheese crust, shallot, dairy spread and a splash of cream or water, transforms a single cob into a hearty and very fulfilling dish for two. Serves 2 generously One ear of sweet corn 50 grams of butter One medium-sized onion, skinned and diced Two cloves of garlic, skinned and coarsely cut 250g orzo 40 to 50 grams of Parmesan crust – shred and save leftover cheese 100 milliliters of heavy cream, optional Salt and black 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. Next, with a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a bowl. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750 milliliters of water, heat until boiling, then reduce to a gentle boil, put a lid on and leave to cook on a low heat. Heat the butter in a separate big skillet on a medium-low heat. Put in the onion and garlic, sauté softly, mixing, for about 5 minutes, until tender, then include the corn and pasta, and cook for three more minutes. Introduce the cheese rind, double cream, if using, and the saved corn residue, heat until bubbling and cook 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 cook, mixing often, for about seven minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the mixture is loose and creamy; include more water if needed. Season to taste, and serve garnished with extra butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.