Shrimp Stock

Don’t toss those shrimp shells! With just a handful of pantry staples and a little simmer time, you can turn those shells into liquid gold. Homemade shrimp stock is rich, deeply savory, and absolutely packed with briny flavor, it’s the secret ingredient that makes risottos silkier, bisques bolder, and seafood pastas shine. How amazing to have something so fantastic from something you would normally toss in the trash?

You will need:

Shells and tails from 1 1/2 lbs of large shrimp

1 tbsp olive oil

10 pepper corns

2 bay leaves

2 celery ribs

2 garlic whole cloves

1/4 onion roughly chopped

4 cups of water

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and fragrant. Add water garlic, onion, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns.  Give it a good stir, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing the solids to extract all the liquid. Let cool. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.