🔗 Share this article Don't Discard Your Parmigiano Rind – It's a Superb Stock Cube – Cooking Guide The hard ends of Parmesan cheese represent the best zero-waste hack – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance stews, gravies and various dishes, providing pure deliciousness in the form of savory richness and smooth consistency. Stored in the fridge or freezer, they last for a very long time. Today's culinary creation uses them in a budget-friendly, rich corn and pasta dish that transforms a handful of basic items into cozy fall food. Creamed Corn Orzo The meal was a happy accident, and had everyone asking for seconds. Originally, the idea was a classic tomato orzo to use up the remaining portion in the cupboard left over from making a cold pasta dish, but desired a dish fitting the season. Fresh corn cobs are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and while they are available I enjoy them often. In the spirit of this column, I believed it would be beneficial to utilize the entire corn – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the spent cobs. That extra flavour, paired with a parmesan rind, shallot, dairy spread and a dash of cream or liquid, transforms a one ear of corn into a hearty and deeply satisfying dish for two. Feeds two people well One ear of sweet corn 50g butter One medium-sized onion, peeled and finely chopped Two cloves of garlic, skinned and coarsely cut 250 grams of orzo pasta 40 to 50 grams of Parmesan crust – shred and save leftover cheese 100ml double 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, swiftly remove the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, cover and allow to simmer slowly. Heat the butter in a separate big skillet on a medium-low heat. Put in the onion and garlic, sauté softly, mixing, for about 5 minutes, until tender, then include the corn and pasta, and cook for three more minutes. Add the parmesan rind, heavy cream, if preferred, and the reserved corn pulp, bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes, mixing to prevent sticking or burning. Strain the hot corn stock into the pasta pot, heat until boiling, then lower to a gentle boil and simmer, mixing often, for about 7 minutes, until the orzo is al dente and the combination is smooth and fluid; add a little extra water to loosen. Season to taste, and dish up topped with extra butter and a sprinkling of the reserved grated parmesan.