When you throw away shrimp shells, you’re throwing away flavor! Each time you peel shrimp, save the shells in a plastic bag in the freezer. When you amass about a quart’s worth, spend half an hour making some shrimp stock to use in soups and sauces. Store it in the freezer and thaw it in the microwave whenever you need it.
Shrimp Stock
Shrimp stock has a mellow flavor and aroma redolent of the sea. Use it in seafood soups or as a sauce base for any fish or shellfish dish.
Ingredients
step 1 ingredients
- 1 oz raw shrimp in shell
- 1 qt raw shrimp shells (loosely-packed)
- 1/8 yellow onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 6 coriander seeds
- 1/3 c white wine
- 1 qt water
- 1/8 small lemon, wedge
Instructions
1. Simmer the stock ingredients:
- Cut the raw shrimp through the shells into 3 or 4 pieces.
- Slice the onion thin.
- Place the shrimp pieces and shrimp shells in a saucepan. Add the onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and coriander seed to the saucepan along with the wine and water. Squeeze in the lemon and drop it into the pan.
- Bring the mixture just under the boil and then lower the heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Strain the stock:
- Place a strainer across the top of a deep bowl. Pour the shrimp shells and stock into the strainer. Use a spoon to press on the solids to extract as much liquid is possible. Discard the solids.
- Cool the stock to room temperature and place it in a container.
HOLD: Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Tried this recipe? Hope you liked it!Share your experience with the PrepHoldCook community. We’d love to hear from you — please leave a comment in the form below.