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The hard ends of Parmesan cheese represent the best sustainable kitchen trick – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enhance soups, sauces and all sorts, adding incredible taste in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Kept in the refrigerator or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a thrifty, creamy corn orzo that converts a handful of basic items into comforting autumn fare.

Creamed Corn Orzo

This dish was a happy accident, and had everyone asking for seconds. Originally, the idea was a classic tomato orzo to use up that half-bag in the cupboard remaining after making a pasta salad, but desired a dish fitting the season. Fresh corn cobs are one of fall's short-lived pleasures, as short-lived as asparagus, and during their brief season I eat them weekly. Following this approach, I believed 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 parmesan rind, onion, butter and a splash of cream or water, transforms a single cob into a hearty and deeply satisfying dish for two.

Feeds two people well

• 1 fresh corn cob
• 50g butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 250 grams of orzo pasta
• 40-50g parmesan rind – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese
• 100ml double cream, if desired
• Sea salt and ground pepper
• Extra-virgin 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, using a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a bowl. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750 milliliters of water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, put a lid on and allow to simmer slowly.

Heat the butter in a separate big skillet on a medium-low heat. 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. Introduce the cheese rind, double cream, if using, and the saved corn residue, bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes, mixing to prevent sticking or burning.

Drain the warm corn broth into the pasta pot, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer, stirring frequently, for about seven minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the mixture is loose and creamy; include more water if needed. Season to taste, and serve garnished with extra butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.