Quick Shrimp Stock
A fast-simmered prawn shell stock from the New England pantry — pale gold, clean, and sweet with the briny perfume of the Atlantic. Ready in under an hour; the essential base for chowder, bisque, and seafood risotto.
Ingredients
For 4 servings · tick what is ready
Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.
How to make it
In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, add the shrimp shells and heads with the onion and celery — no fat needed. Stir and press the shells against the hot pan until they turn bright pink-orange and the kitchen fills with a toasty, oceanic aroma. About 3–4 minutes. Do not let them burn.
Pour the white wine into the hot pan and scrape any stuck bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half — about 2 minutes — until the raw alcohol smell gives way to something softer and winey.
Add cold water and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Do NOT boil — shrimp shells release bitter compounds if aggressively cooked. Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, skimming any foam that rises in the first 10 minutes. The liquid should barely tremble at the surface.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, pressing the shells gently. Discard solids. Use immediately in chowder or bisque, or cool in an ice bath and refrigerate up to 2 days. Freeze in ice cube trays for convenient portions.
About this recipe
By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.