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Parmesan rinds represent the best sustainable kitchen trick – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enhance soups, gravies and all sorts, adding incredible taste in the form of savory richness and creamy texture. Kept in the fridge or icebox, they last for a very long time. This week’s recipe incorporates them in a thrifty, creamy corn orzo that converts a few simple ingredients into comforting autumn fare.

Creamed Corn Orzo

The meal came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a traditional tomato pasta to finish the remaining portion in the cupboard left over from making a pasta salad, but desired a dish fitting the season. Sweet corn on the cob are one of autumn’s fleeting treats, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and while they are available I eat them weekly. In the spirit of this column, 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. The additional taste, combined with a cheese crust, onion, dairy spread and a dash of cream or liquid, turns a single cob into a hearty and very fulfilling meal for two people.

Feeds two people well

• 1 fresh corn cob
• 50g butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 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
• 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 separate the cobs manually. After that, using a spoon, swiftly remove the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a bowl. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750 milliliters of water, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, put a lid on and leave to cook on a low heat.

Heat the butter in a second large pan on a moderate flame. Add the onion and garlic, cook gently, mixing, for about 5 minutes, until tender, then include the corn and pasta, and saute for three minutes. Introduce the cheese rind, heavy cream, if preferred, and the saved corn residue, 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 orzo pan, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook, mixing often, for about seven minutes, until the orzo is al dente and the mixture is loose and creamy; include more water if needed. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with extra butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.