Never Throw Away That Parmesan Rind – It's an Excellent Flavor Booster – Cooking Guide
Parmesan rinds represent the best sustainable kitchen trick – like a cheesy stock cube, they enrich stews, gravies and various dishes, providing incredible taste in the form of umami depth and creamy texture. Kept in the fridge or icebox, they last for a very long time. Today's culinary creation incorporates them in a budget-friendly, rich corn and pasta dish that converts a few simple ingredients into cozy fall food.
Corn and Orzo Delight
This dish was a happy accident, and left me and my family drooling for more. I was planning a classic tomato orzo to finish 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 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 use the whole cob – not only the juicy seeds, but also the thick, tasty residue and the used cores. That extra flavour, combined with a cheese crust, shallot, dairy spread and a dash of cream or liquid, turns a one ear of corn into a hearty and deeply satisfying meal for two people.
Serves 2 generously
- 1 fresh corn cob
- 50 grams of butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
- Two cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 250g orzo
- 40-50g parmesan rind – grate off and reserve any remaining cheese
- 100 milliliters of heavy cream, if desired
- Sea salt and ground pepper
- High-quality olive oil, to finish
For maximum taste from the corn, stand it on one end, slice off the kernels lengthwise, then break up the cobs by hand. After that, with a spoon, swiftly remove the thick, creamy residue from the cobs into a bowl. Place the used cobs in a pot with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then reduce to a gentle boil, cover and allow to simmer slowly.
Heat the butter in a second large pan on a moderate flame. Add 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 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 turn down to a simmer and simmer, 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. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and dish up garnished with additional butter and a dusting of the reserved grated parmesan.
