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The hard ends of Parmesan cheese are the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance stews, sauces and all sorts, providing pure deliciousness in the form of savory richness and creamy texture. Kept in the fridge or icebox, they keep almost indefinitely. This week’s recipe uses them in a budget-friendly, rich corn and pasta dish that converts a few simple ingredients into cozy fall food.

Corn and Orzo Delight

This dish came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. Originally, the idea was a classic tomato orzo to use up the remaining portion in the cupboard remaining after making a pasta salad, but wanted something more seasonal. Fresh corn cobs are one of autumn’s fleeting treats, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and during their brief season I eat them weekly. 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 used cores. The additional taste, paired with a parmesan rind, shallot, butter and a splash of cream or water, 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
• 1 medium onion, skinned and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, 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
• Salt and black pepper
• High-quality olive oil, to finish

For maximum taste from the corn, place it upright, cut off the kernels in long strips, then separate the cobs manually. After that, using a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then reduce to a gentle boil, cover and allow to simmer slowly.

Heat the butter in a second large pan on a medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook gently, stirring, for about five 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, bring to a simmer and simmer for two minutes, stirring to make sure the mix doesn’t catch and burn.

Drain the warm corn broth into the pasta pot, 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 mixture is loose and creamy; include more water if needed. Season to taste, and dish up topped with additional butter and a dusting of the saved shredded cheese.