🔗 Share this article Never Throw Away That Parmigiano Rind – It's an Excellent Stock Cube – Cooking Guide The hard ends of Parmesan cheese are the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance soups, sauces and various dishes, adding pure deliciousness in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Kept in the refrigerator or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. This week’s recipe uses them in a thrifty, rich corn and pasta dish that transforms a few simple ingredients into cozy fall food. Creamed Corn Orzo This dish came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a classic tomato orzo to finish that half-bag in the cupboard remaining after making a cold pasta dish, but wanted something more seasonal. Fresh corn cobs are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, as short-lived as asparagus, and during their brief season I enjoy them often. In the spirit of this column, I thought it would be good to use the whole cob – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the spent cobs. That extra flavour, paired with a parmesan rind, shallot, butter and a dash of cream or liquid, transforms a single cob into a generous and very fulfilling meal for two people. Serves 2 generously One ear of sweet corn 50 grams of butter 1 medium onion, skinned and diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped 250g orzo 40-50g parmesan rind – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese 100 milliliters of heavy cream, if desired Sea salt and ground pepper Extra-virgin olive oil, to finish To get the most flavour from your corn cob, place it upright, slice off the kernels lengthwise, then separate the cobs manually. Next, using a spoon, swiftly remove the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750ml water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil, put a lid on and leave to cook on a low heat. Melt the butter in a second large pan on a moderate flame. Add the onion and garlic, sauté softly, stirring, for about five minutes, until tender, 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 simmer for two minutes, mixing to prevent sticking or burning. Drain the warm corn broth into the pasta pot, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, mixing often, for about seven minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the combination is smooth and fluid; include more water if needed. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and serve topped with extra butter and a sprinkling of the reserved grated parmesan.