Seafood stock help

[blbst36]

Well, I need some help.  I am making some Shrimp Etouffee from a Paul Prodhomme cookbook I have.  The only problem?  Seafood stock.  I don't have any.  I don't have the means to make any.  And I really don't feel comfortable asking for shells at the store.  Is there anything I can use in place of the stock?  I usually just use chicken stock, but I don't know if this will ruin the dish this time.

 

Thanks in advance!

[pastrygirl]

Maybe diluted clam juice?  Or vegetable stock would be lighter than chicken but still add some flavor.

Edited July 6, 2017 by pastrygirl
veggies! (log)

[MelissaH]

7 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

Maybe diluted clam juice?  Or vegetable stock would be lighter than chicken but still add some flavor.

 

Yup, diluted clam juice. Or even just water with a bit of salt added, if the rest of your ingredients are flavorful.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

6 hours ago, blbst36 said:

Seafood stock.  I don't have any.  I don't have the means to make any.

 

When I go to Sea Depot in Cary, they frequently have fish heads in the lower right hand corner of their iced seafood bins. Since it would be a drive for you, you might want to call ahead in case you want to go that way. I would not doubt that they would also save fish skeletons over a few hours since they fillet to order and are a busy place. If I wanted seafood stock, that's the route I would take. Bottled clam juice is also a great idea and absolutely loaded with Vitamin B12.

[chileheadmike]

Did you peel the shrimp? Simmer the peels for a half hour or so.

[blbst36]

I have memories of clam juice tasting funny   I could use that as a last resort

@Thanks for the Crepes - That's actually not too far from where I work!

@chileheadmike - No, I am getting cleaned shrimp since they are on sale and I HATE peeling shrimp 

 

Thanks for all the replies!

[ojisan]

Have you tried dashi? [Google seafood stock dashi ]

Instant dashi and/or dried niboshi, katsuobushi and kombu are pantry staples and keep well.

[blbst36]

1 hour ago, ojisan said:

Have you tried dashi? [Google seafood stock dashi ]

Instant dashi and/or dried niboshi, katsuobushi and kombu are pantry staples and keep well.

 

Nope.  I need to google what those things are, so they aren't really pantry staples for me.  I can get them easily, though.  

 

The first link I looked at said that it has an "intense flavor to the stock".  Is it really that strong?  I don't want it to over power the rest of the recipe.  It looks like it's used in miso soup, which I do not like.  At all.  Is it going to taste like that?

 

Thanks!

[Lisa Shock]

Shrimp shells will give you the cleanest tasting result. Other than that, I'd make a vegetable stock from whatever aromatic vegetables are featured in the dish. (onion maybe, or celery) I don't see clam and shrimp mixing that well.

[Tri2Cook]

49 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

I don't see clam and shrimp mixing that well.

They party together just fine in my opinion... but my opinion and $3 will buy a cup of coffee.

[Anna N]

There is also Better than Bouillon lobster stock which I have heard works as a fish stock but I have no personal experience with it. 

And dashi does not taste like miso; they are two different things. 

[rotuts]

@blbst36 

 

if you can't get really really fresh fish at your Personal Fish monger   

 

dilute out the clam juice so its not too salty

 

if you have some dry white wine , deuce that a bit

 

and add that too  

 

Fish is very delicate

 

if you get into this

 

and fined a local fish monger

 

look for some realy fresh 

 

"  frames "

 

this are the bone-ey frame of the fish that the Monger tosses out

 

unless they make their own fish fume

 

fish stock from fresh frames takes less than 30 min t0 make

[Katie Meadow]

As far as I know (and I haven't made shrimp étouffée in a zillion years) the shrimp get peeled before cooking. That means you will have the shells to make stock. This would result in the best flavor for this dish. I always feel virtuous using the shells like this rather than just tossing them. Use all shells, tails, etc. Add some celery leaves and a little onion, a couple of thyme sprigs, but don't overpower the shrimp flavor. Simmer 30 minutes, strain. Making seafood stock is a lot faster than meat or chicken stock. If you have nice fresh shrimp your stock will taste fresh too.

[weedy]

If you can't get stock  just use salted water. 

Etoufee has plenty of other flavour going on (or should, anyway). 

 

But, if your store is shelling and cleaning th shrimp for you, what not ask for the shells (and heads if they have them) in a bag from them?

Edited July 7, 2017 by weedy (log)

[dcarch]

Quick,  cheap & dirty..

I buy ramen noodles, but I don't use their flavor (MSG) packages. I save them. Many of the packages are shrimp flavored. I used them to boost seafood recipes.

 

dcarch

[blbst36]

13 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

As far as I know (and I haven't made shrimp étouffée in a zillion years) the shrimp get peeled before cooking. That means you will have the shells to make stock. This would result in the best flavor for this dish. I always feel virtuous using the shells like this rather than just tossing them. Use all shells, tails, etc. Add some celery leaves and a little onion, a couple of thyme sprigs, but don't overpower the shrimp flavor. Simmer 30 minutes, strain. Making seafood stock is a lot faster than meat or chicken stock. If you have nice fresh shrimp your stock will taste fresh too.

As I said above, the shrimp I am buying is peeled and cleaned because I HATE doing that.  I would rather make something else than peel and clean shrimp.

 

10 hours ago, weedy said:

If you can't get stock  just use salted water. 

Etoufee has plenty of other flavour going on (or should, anyway). 

 

But, if your store is shelling and cleaning th shrimp for you, what not ask for the shells (and heads if they have them) in a bag from them?

 

As I said above, I feel weird asking for shells.  It's a me thing.  It's just not going to happen.  Plus, the shrimp I was going to buy is frickin frozen.  I don't think they peel them in house.  Not that I am buying them there anymore.

 

[weedy]

Okay then just skip it and use salted water. Or season it with your fave Cajun spice. 

Etouffee doesn't require stock. 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by weedy (log)

[blue_dolphin]

On 7/7/2017 at 7:23 AM, blbst36 said:

As I said above, I feel weird asking for shells.  It's a me thing.  It's just not going to happen.

I'm just curious.  Why is asking to buy shells/heads or fish bones for stock any more weird than asking for anything else?

[rotuts]

you would be surprised to find you might get a smile from the fishmonger if you ask for fresh frames.

 

I have.   and they remember you respect the ' whole fish '

 

well , maybe anyway.

 

Ive done that and later it was suggested to me that I might prefer Fish B  this day rather than Fish A which I thought

 

I wanted.   Fish B was fresher .

[rotuts]

OF Note :

 

" Frames "  mean the fish skeleton after filet-ing

 

frequently the heads are included .  A good thing.

 

most people remove the gills before using them for stock.

 

the gills contain blood and will cloud the stock.

 

something to consider.

 

and start that stock as soon as you can.    it only takes about 30 min or so to make

 

no more.

[Katie Meadow]

On 7/7/2017 at 7:23 AM, blbst36 said:

As I said above, the shrimp I am buying is peeled and cleaned because I HATE doing that.  I would rather make something else than peel and clean shrimp.

 

 

 

Okay, I must have missed that part. Yes, I agree that shelling and deveining shrimp is an icky chore. 

[rotuts]

OK

 

a chore is a chore

 

But !

 

 

if you can get shrimp from a fishmonger 

 

that's peeled for you

 

Nice 

 

consider getting 4 - 5 unpeeled

 

chop them very finely  

 

and used them for your stock

 

fresh is very key w fish.

[dcarch]

Go to an Asian store. They have tons of fish bones, heads for sale. While you are there, get a few giant clams for making clam juice, also cheap.

 

Shrimps are $9.00 a lb. Lobsters (small) are $6.99 a lb. Pound for pound, lobsters have more shell than shrimps. Why not make lobster broth?

 

dcarch

Edited July 10, 2017 by dcarch (log)

[rotuts]

nice

 

but for some

 

a bit far away ?

[Anna N]

I am just guessing and I could be very wrong here but if someone does not like shelling shrimp I don't see them handling fish  frames, heads and gills. If it's the ick factor in play......