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The hard ends of Parmesan cheese are the ultimate zero-waste hack – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enrich soups, gravies and various dishes, providing incredible taste in the form of umami depth and smooth consistency. Stored in the refrigerator or icebox, they keep almost indefinitely. This week’s recipe incorporates them in a thrifty, rich corn and pasta dish that transforms a handful of basic items into comforting autumn fare.

Creamed Corn Orzo

This dish came about by chance, and had everyone asking for seconds. Originally, the idea was a traditional tomato pasta to finish that half-bag in the cupboard left over from making a cold pasta dish, but wanted something more seasonal. Sweet corn on the cob are one of autumn’s fleeting treats, as short-lived as asparagus, and while they are available I enjoy them often. In the spirit of this column, I believed it would be good to use the whole cob – not only the juicy seeds, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the spent cobs. That extra flavour, paired with a parmesan rind, onion, dairy spread and a splash of cream or water, turns a one ear of corn into a hearty and deeply satisfying dish for two.

Feeds two people well

• 1 fresh corn cob
• 50g butter
• One medium-sized onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 250 grams of orzo pasta
• 40 to 50 grams of Parmesan crust – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese
• 100ml double 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. Next, with a spoon, quickly scrape the thick, creamy residue 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 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 tender, then add the corn kernels and orzo, and saute for three minutes. Introduce the cheese rind, heavy cream, if preferred, and the reserved corn pulp, 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 orzo pan, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, mixing often, for about seven 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 dish up topped with additional butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.