How To Make Stock With Your Christmas Crayfish Leftovers
Make the most of your Christmas Cray this year by utilising the leftover shells in a seafood stock! If you also save the ends of your veggies from Christmas (think onion/garlic ends and peels, tops of carrots or celery, peels of pumpkin) you can make this almost entirely with leftovers! Use this rich and delicious broth as the base for bisques, risottos, sauces, soups and more. This stock also freezes really well if needed!
Ingredients
- Leftover crayfish shells (as many as you have - you can also use leftover prawn tails/shells in the broth to add some extra flavour)
- Leftover odds and ends from veggies - carrot tops/peels, ends and peels of onions/garlic, celery ends. If you don't have enough, use a fresh onion and carrot, plus a few cloves of garlic)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1-2 tbsp tomato paste (or a couple of tomatoes)
- 1 cup white wine
- A few peppercorns
- Salt to taste
- A few sprigs of thyme
- Water (enough to fill your pot)
Method
- Add herbs and spices (minus salt), plus a splash of oil to a large stock pot over medium heat and stir until fragrant.
- Throw in your veggie pieces and stir occasionally for a few minutes until they start to soften and show some colour.
- Immediately add the tomato paste, stir once, then add white wine and cook for a further few minutes to steam off some of the alcohol.
- Toss in your lobster shells* (and any other seafood leftovers), then cover with water and simmer gently for about 1 hour.
- Strain the stock and add salt to taste. Store in airtight containers in your fridge for a few days or freeze.
Optional extra step: For an added depth of flavour, roughly break up your shells and roast on baking paper for 15-20 minutes before incorporating them into this recipe.
*If you're planning to make this with Christmas leftovers, refrigerate or freeze your shells and other leftover ingredients as soon as possible, to ensure food safety.
