🔗 Share this article

Parmesan rinds are the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance stews, sauces and various dishes, adding incredible taste in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Kept in the refrigerator or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. This week’s recipe incorporates them in a budget-friendly, creamy corn orzo that converts a few simple ingredients into comforting autumn fare.

Creamed Corn Orzo

This dish came about by chance, and had everyone asking for seconds. I was planning a traditional tomato pasta to finish the remaining portion in the cupboard remaining after making a cold pasta dish, 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 starchy, flavourful pulp and the used cores. The additional taste, combined with a cheese crust, onion, butter and a splash of cream or water, turns a one ear of corn into a generous and deeply satisfying dish for two.

Feeds two people well

• One ear of sweet corn
• 50g butter
• 1 medium onion, skinned and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, skinned and coarsely cut
• 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
• High-quality olive oil, to finish

For maximum taste from the corn, stand it on one end, cut off the kernels in long strips, then break up the cobs by hand. Next, using a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750 milliliters of water, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, cover and leave to cook on a low heat.

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

Drain the warm corn broth into the orzo pan, heat until boiling, then lower to a gentle boil and simmer, mixing often, for about seven minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the combination is smooth and fluid; add a little extra water to loosen. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and dish up topped with extra butter and a dusting of the saved shredded cheese.