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The hard ends of Parmesan cheese are the best sustainable kitchen trick – acting as a savory flavor bomb, they enrich stews, gravies and various dishes, providing incredible taste in the form of umami depth and smooth consistency. Stored in the refrigerator or freezer, they keep almost indefinitely. Today's culinary creation uses them in a thrifty, creamy corn orzo that converts a few simple ingredients into comforting autumn fare.

Creamed Corn Orzo

This dish was a happy accident, and had everyone asking for seconds. Originally, the idea was a traditional tomato pasta to use up the remaining portion in the pantry left over from making a pasta salad, but desired a dish fitting the season. Fresh corn cobs are one of autumn’s fleeting treats, 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 beneficial to use the whole cob – not just the sweet kernels, but also the starchy, flavourful pulp and the used cores. That extra flavour, combined with a cheese crust, shallot, butter and a splash of cream or water, transforms a one ear of corn into a generous 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
• 2 garlic cloves, skinned and coarsely cut
• 250g orzo
• 40-50g parmesan rind – shred and save leftover cheese
• 100ml double cream, optional
• Sea salt and ground pepper
• High-quality 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. After that, using a spoon, quickly scrape the starchy, milky pulp from the cobs into a container. Put the spent cobs in a pan with 750ml water, heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, cover and allow to simmer slowly.

Heat the butter in a separate big skillet on a moderate flame. Add the onion and garlic, cook gently, stirring, for about five minutes, until soft, 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, mixing to prevent sticking or burning.

Strain the hot corn stock into the pasta pot, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle boil and cook, mixing often, for about 7 minutes, until the pasta is firm to the bite and the combination is smooth and fluid; add a little extra water to loosen. Adjust flavors with salt and pepper, and dish up topped with extra butter and a sprinkling of the saved shredded cheese.