Simple Seafood Stock
A quick and easy seafood stock that makes a flavorful base for seafood based soups, chowders, and stews!
Equipment
- Pot or deep sauce pan
Ingredients
- Shells from 1 - 2 lbs. of shellfish We used spot prawns from Alaska. Bonus points if raw. More bonus points if you have the heads as well. Ours were leftover from another dish.
- 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 cups Water
- ½ Sweet Onion Any onion will work. Peels and tops included.
- 1 Carrot, rough chopped
- 2 - 4 Bay Leaves We used fresh leaves but dried are fine too
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 2 Green Onions Not an exact science so use if you have them
- ½ tsp. Dried Thyme
- 2 tsp. Whole Peppercorns
- 2 tsp. Fine Sea Salt Can sub other salt types
- 4 cloves Garlic, chopped or halved Again, inexact science. Don't be too particular.
- 1 handful Fresh Cilantro Can omit if you don't prefer cilantro.
- Jalapeno Slices (optional) Completely optional. Add if you like. Not intended to be a spicy stock.
Instructions
- Saute the shells in oil over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add all ingredients to the pot, bring just to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Strain and save for later use or use immediately as a seafood soup base.
Notes
The beauty of making stock is the inexact science. No need to waste time cutting vegetables to a specific size. The goal is to add the aromatics and other ingredients to enhance the flavor of the base as it simmers with the shells.
Note: This stock takes far less time than other stocks like chicken, beef, etc. because terrestrial animal bones take longer to extract collagen and flavor than the much smaller, less dense shells of shellfish.