Never Discard That Parmigiano Crust – It Is a Superb Flavor Booster – Recipe
The hard ends of Parmesan cheese represent the best zero-waste hack – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance stews, sauces and various dishes, adding pure deliciousness in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Kept in the refrigerator or icebox, they keep almost indefinitely. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a thrifty, rich corn and pasta dish that transforms a few simple ingredients into comforting autumn fare.
Corn and Orzo Delight
The meal was a happy accident, and left me and my family drooling for more. Originally, the idea was a traditional tomato pasta to finish that half-bag in the cupboard remaining after making a cold pasta dish, but wanted something more seasonal. Sweet corn on the cob 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 good 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, butter and a dash of cream or liquid, turns a one ear of corn into a hearty and very fulfilling meal for two people.
Feeds two people well
- One ear of sweet corn
- 50g butter
- One medium-sized onion, peeled and finely chopped
- Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 250g orzo
- 40 to 50 grams of Parmesan crust – shred and save leftover cheese
- 100 milliliters of heavy cream, if desired
- Sea salt and ground 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. Next, using a spoon, swiftly remove the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, put a lid on and allow to simmer slowly.
Heat the butter in a second large pan on a medium-low heat. Add 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, double cream, if using, and the reserved corn pulp, heat until bubbling 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, heat until boiling, then lower to a gentle boil and simmer, mixing often, for about seven minutes, until the orzo is al dente and the combination is smooth and fluid; include more water if needed. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and dish up garnished with additional butter and a sprinkling of the reserved grated parmesan.
