Corn cob stock

Once you have taken the kernels off the cob for another dish, use a spoon to scrape all the mushy pulp and milk out of the cob. The milk, scrapings and cob itself are starchy and rich, and make a powerful flavour enhancer in soups and stocks. To make the stock, put the cobs, scrapings and milk in a pot with any other vegetable trimmings you have. You can add chicken bones too if you want. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for an hour. Turn off the heat, leave to steep until cool, then strain and refrigerate. Use within a week.

Corn cob ice cream

This recipe is based on one by Tom Hunt from The Guardian. Because corn is naturally sweet, it makes a great dessert or cake ingredient. The Peruvians eat a corn cake called Pastel de Choclo that has raisins and star anise in it. Delicious with a coffee for breakfast or morning tea, this ice cream also includes dried fruit and spices.

MAKES: 600ml

PREP TIME: minutes

COOK TIME: minutes plus cooling time 3 corn cobs, kernels shaved off and

saved for another meal 250ml cream

200ml whole milk

½ tsp vanilla essence

2 eggs

25g golden caster (or other

unrefined) sugar

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ cup currants

Scrape the pulp and milk from the spent corn cobs into a heavy-based pan. Cut the cobs into pieces and add them, too, along with the cream and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla essence. Whisk the eggs, and sugar for five minutes, until very thick. Strain the hot corn milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly, then return the mix to the pan on a very low heat. Add the spices and cook, stirring, for a few minutes to thicken. Strain into a container and leave to cool. Add the currants and mix in. Churn in an ice cream machine, or freeze over several hours, whisking every two hours, until set. Serve with some caramel popcorn!