Never Throw Away Your Parmigiano Crust – It's a Superb Stock Cube – Recipe
Parmesan rinds are the ultimate zero-waste hack – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enrich soups, gravies and various dishes, providing pure deliciousness in the form of umami depth and smooth consistency. Stored in the refrigerator or icebox, they last for a very long time. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a budget-friendly, creamy corn orzo that transforms a few simple ingredients into cozy fall food.
Corn and Orzo Delight
The meal came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. Originally, the idea was a traditional tomato pasta to use up that half-bag in the pantry remaining after making a pasta salad, but desired a dish fitting the season. Fresh corn cobs are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and during their brief season I eat them weekly. In the spirit of this column, I believed it would be beneficial to use the whole cob – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the used cores. The additional taste, paired with a cheese crust, onion, butter and a dash of cream or liquid, turns a one ear of corn into a generous and deeply satisfying dish for two.
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
- 250 grams of orzo pasta
- 40-50g parmesan rind – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese
- 100ml double cream, if desired
- Salt and black pepper
- Extra-virgin 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, with a spoon, swiftly remove the thick, creamy residue from the cobs into a container. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then reduce to a gentle boil, cover and allow to simmer slowly.
Heat the butter in a separate big skillet on a moderate flame. Add the onion and garlic, sauté softly, mixing, for about 5 minutes, until soft, then include the corn and pasta, and cook for three more minutes. Add the parmesan rind, double cream, if using, 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 pasta pot, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, mixing often, for about 7 minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite 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 saved shredded cheese.
