Seafood stock is made by simmering shellfish, seafood, vegetables, and herbs for several hours. It can be made with leftover ingredients and is used as a base for many recipes. The broth is popular in Cajun and Spanish cuisine and can be purchased in stores.
Basic seafood stock is a liquid made by cooking shellfish and seafood, vegetables, and herbs over low heat for several hours. Common seafood ingredients include shrimp, crab shells, and rinsed fish bones. Bay leaves, dried thyme, and salt are flavoring options. Other ingredients may include garlic, onions and celery. The ingredients are simmered, sometimes with white wine, lemon or clam juice, and the broth is used as the basis for many recipes.
Because a stock can be made with leftover ingredients, recipes for seafood stock vary significantly. The basic flavor of seafood stock is shellfish and other seafood, such as clams or fish. The most common seafood ingredients include assorted shellfish heads and fish shells and bones, but they can be made with any part of the seafood except the innards, which would otherwise be thrown away.
Fish bones and shellfish parts can usually be bought inexpensively in supermarkets with a fresh fish counter or in fish markets. Mollusk shells can be saved after you prepare a lobster, shrimp or crab dinner. Both shells and fish bones should be firm but not slimy to the touch and have a slight salty smell. Before preparing the broth, discard any spoiled shells or bones.
A typical recipe calls for the shells and bones to be sauteed for about two minutes in the butter. Once the bones are opaque and the shells are bright red or orange, water is added. White wine, clam or oyster juice, or lemon juice may also be included.
Once the shells and bones have simmered for a few minutes, the vegetables and herbs are added to the pot. The vegetables in a seafood stock can vary widely, but usually include onions and celery. Celery root, parsnips and green onions are additional options. Traditionally, any leftover vegetables are added to a broth rather than allowed to spoil.
Bay leaves, parsley and salt are typical herbal flavors included in seafood stock. Adding whole red chiles will make a spicy broth. Substituting lobster shells for fish bones can make the stock sweeter.
After all the ingredients have been added, any impurities that have risen to the surface must be quickly removed. Impurities can cloud and spoil a stock as well as shorten its shelf life, especially when cooking with fish shells and bones. Once brought to a boil, the broth is reduced and left to simmer for at least two hours. Before being refrigerated or frozen, the stock must be strained to remove all solids.
This type of broth is a staple of Cajun cooking. Jambalaya, etouffee and gumbo are all dishes that can be made with fish broth. Fish soups and stews also use broth as a base. Additionally, the broth is popular in Spanish cuisine and is often used to prepare dishes such as paella.
Seafood stock is also available in many grocery stores. It can be purchased in cans or in larger containers. Stock cubes or beef stock are an additional option, although in some countries they may be labeled as fish stock.
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