🔗 Share this article Don't Discard That Parmesan Rind – It Is a Superb Flavor Booster – Cooking Guide The hard ends of Parmesan cheese represent the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enrich stews, gravies and all sorts, providing incredible taste in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Kept in the fridge or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. This week’s recipe incorporates them in a thrifty, rich corn and pasta dish that transforms a few simple ingredients into comforting autumn fare. Creamed Corn Orzo This dish was a happy accident, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a traditional tomato pasta to finish the remaining portion in the pantry left over from making a pasta salad, but wanted something more seasonal. Fresh corn cobs are one of autumn’s fleeting treats, as short-lived as asparagus, and while they are available 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 thick, tasty residue and the used cores. That extra flavour, combined with a parmesan rind, shallot, dairy spread and a splash of cream or water, transforms a single cob into a hearty and very fulfilling dish for two. Feeds two people well One ear of sweet corn 50 grams of butter One medium-sized onion, skinned and diced Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 250g orzo 40-50g parmesan rind – shred and save leftover cheese 100ml double cream, if desired Sea salt and ground pepper Extra-virgin 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. Next, using a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a bowl. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750ml water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil, cover and allow to simmer slowly. Melt the butter in a second large pan on a moderate flame. Put in the onion and garlic, sauté softly, stirring, for about five minutes, until soft, then add the corn kernels and orzo, 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 pasta pot, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, mixing often, 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. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with additional butter and a dusting of the saved shredded cheese.