Never Discard That Parmigiano Rind – It's a Superb Flavor Booster – Cooking Guide
The hard ends of Parmesan cheese represent the ultimate sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance stews, gravies and various dishes, providing incredible taste in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Stored in the refrigerator or icebox, they last for a very long time. Today's culinary creation uses them in a budget-friendly, creamy corn orzo that transforms a handful of basic items into comforting autumn fare.
Corn and Orzo Delight
The meal came about by chance, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a classic tomato orzo to use up the remaining portion in the pantry remaining after making a cold pasta dish, but desired a dish fitting the season. Fresh corn cobs are one of autumn’s fleeting treats, similar to asparagus in seasonality, and during their brief season I eat them weekly. Following this approach, I thought it would be good to use the whole cob – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the used cores. That extra flavour, paired with a parmesan rind, shallot, butter and a splash of cream or water, transforms a one ear of corn into a hearty and very fulfilling meal for two people.
Feeds two people well
- 1 fresh corn cob
- 50g butter
- 1 medium onion, skinned and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, skinned and coarsely cut
- 250 grams of orzo pasta
- 40-50g parmesan rind – shred and save leftover cheese
- 100 milliliters of heavy cream, if desired
- Salt and black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil, to finish
For maximum taste from the corn, place it upright, 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. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750 milliliters of 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. Put in the onion and garlic, cook gently, mixing, for about five 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 saved corn residue, bring to a simmer 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 cook, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the combination is smooth and fluid; include more water if needed. Season to taste, and dish up topped with additional butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.
