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Parmesan rinds are the best zero-waste hack – like a cheesy stock cube, they enhance soups, sauces and various dishes, providing incredible taste in the form of savory richness and smooth consistency. Stored in the fridge or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a budget-friendly, creamy corn orzo that transforms a handful of basic items into comforting autumn fare.

Creamed Corn Orzo

This dish was a happy accident, and had everyone asking for seconds. I was planning a traditional tomato pasta to use up the remaining portion in the pantry left over from making a pasta salad, but wanted something more seasonal. Fresh corn cobs 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 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 cheese crust, shallot, dairy spread and a dash of cream or liquid, transforms a one ear of corn into a generous and very fulfilling dish for two.

Serves 2 generously

• 1 fresh corn cob
• 50 grams of 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, stand it on one end, cut off the kernels in long strips, then separate the cobs manually. Next, with a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750 milliliters of water, bring to a boil, 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 moderate flame. Put in the onion and garlic, sauté softly, stirring, for about five minutes, until tender, then include the corn and pasta, and saute for three 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.

Strain the hot corn stock into the orzo pan, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for about seven minutes, until the orzo is al dente 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 reserved grated parmesan.