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Shrimp Stock

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"Nothing is wasted in the Cajun kitchen, which means that everything from vegetable scraps to seafood shells is put to good use. The heads and shells of fresh shrimp are especially valued, used to make delicious stock for soups, gumbos, and sauces. Shrimp stock gives any shrimp dish 'lagniappe,' or that 'little something extra.' Don't ever discard shrimp shells. Store them in a resealable plastic bag and freeze them until you need to cook a batch of broth. (Tightly sealed, they'll last 1 to 3 months in the freezer.) Searing the shrimp shells before they're simmered and toasting the paprika give this stock a wonderfully deep flavor. The wine adds acidity, which helps balance the flavors. This recipe can be multiplied up or down depending on how many shrimp shells you have to work with."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
â—¦ Shells and heads (if available) from 4 pounds shrimp (about 1 ¼ pounds shells)
â—¦ 1 tablespoon paprika
â—¦ 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 small onion, quartered
â—¦ 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch lengths
â—¦ 1 small carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, smashed
â—¦ 1 rosemary sprig
â—¦ 8 bay leaves
â—¦ 2 cups dry white wine
â—¦ 3 quarts water


Recipe

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke slightly, add the shells, paprika, and black pepper. Stir frequently for 2 minutes, until the shells crisp up and turn pink.

Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce liquid by half (about 5 additional minutes), then add water. Return the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, skimming off any foam or oil that rises to the surface, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Strain the stock, discarding all solids, and ladle into 1-quart containers. The stock can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Makes about 2 quarts