Don't discard shrimp shells after removing them - use them for
When making shrimp cocktail for a party, or shrimp Alfredo sauce for a family dinner, save the shells to make a soup base. The shells will lend a rich seafood flavor to the broth, which you can use to make soup. Add fresh shellfish, such as shrimp, scallops and mussels, to the soup stock to create a savory appetizer or light meal. Customize the taste of the soup by adding fresh herbs and other seasonings to the shrimp stock.
Instructions
1. Place two pounds of shrimp shells into a colander and rinse them under cool, running water.
2. Fill a 1-gallon stockpot with 2 quarts of cold water.
3. Add the shrimp shells to the pot, along with seasonings such as 1 cup of chopped onion, two minced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup each of sliced carrots and celery. Include fresh parsley, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Enhance the taste of the seafood by adding one sliced lemon if you desire.
4. Bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and allow the broth to simmer for one hour. Remove the foam from the top of the broth using a spoon or strainer.
5. Strain the broth to remove all of the solid ingredients and continue making the soup.
Tags: shrimp shells, make soup
