Try your hand at homemade stock

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The pinch of inflation has been felt in homes across the globe in 2022. A trip to the supermarket has been more costly for much of the year. Those who are splurging on special ingredients for recipes may waffle over whether or not to indulge. However, if certain ingredients can be used to create multiple meals, then that added expense may be easier to swallow.

Many home cooks know to save the bones from poultry, ham and even beef to make delicious stocks. Stocks often are the bases for soups and sauces. They also can season stir-fries and other recipes. A flavorful stock can be made from seafood, particularly the shells of crustaceans. After enjoying a meal featuring lobster, turn those discarded lobster shells into a stock that’s perfect for bisques and more.

Try this recipe for “Lobster Stock,” courtesy of the United Kingdom-based seafood company W. Harvey & Sons.

Lobster Stock

Serves 2

• Shells from 2 to 3 cooked lobsters
• 25 grams butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon tomato puree
• 1⁄4 teaspoon brandy
• 60 ml dry white wine
• 1 liter chicken stock

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion, carrot, celery and thyme, and fry over a medium-high heat for three to four minutes. Meanwhile, break or cut up the lobster shells into small pieces.

Add the lobster shells to the pan and fry for two minutes. Add the tomato and tomato puree and fry for one minute more.

Add the brandy and white wine, and set alight with a match, to burn off the alcohol. Take care and stand back as you do so. When the flames have died down, add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender, in batches if necessary, and blend to a coarse puree. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve into a clean pan, squeezing out as much of the liquid as you can. The stock is now ready to use or freeze for later use.

You can either freeze the lobster shells to make stock at a later date, or freeze the stock once made for future use. Multiply the stock ingredients as needed for a greater number of servings.