Crudo e Nudo's Shrimp Stock
Crudo e Nudo chef Brian Bornemann makes an aromatic shrimp stock to bolster the seafood flavor of pasta sauces, soups and more. But home cooks can also make this flavorful, shrimpy stock; simply remove and freeze shrimp shells when cooking with shrimp at home, or inquire about purchasing them from your local fishmonger.
Chef Brian Bornemann makes tuna tartare — a recipe bolstered with onion confit and shrimp stock — as a topping for thick-cut toast.
At Crudo e Nudo this stock makes its way into multiple dishes. It intensifies the flavors of tuna tartare toast, and contributes to the base of the restaurant’s diavolo sauce — blended with Calabrian chiles, tomato paste, vinegar and sugar. Bornemann also recommends using this shrimp stock to make seafood risotto, gradually cooking the rice in the heady liquid, or simmering soups such as cioppino, seafood curry or bouillabaisse. It could also serve as the poaching liquid for shrimp, giving your next shrimp cocktail double the shellfish punch.
In a stockpot over medium-high heat, sweat the shrimp shells with tomato paste, stirring occasionally until they become aromatic. The shells should smell sweet, shrimpy and craveable, and the tomato paste should be toasted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and while still hot, ladle half of the shrimp shells and water into a Vitamix or another large powerful blender, ensuring not to fill it more than halfway to the top at a time. Blend on low and slowly turn speed to high, emulsifying the shrimp shells for 1 minute.
Strain over a fine-mesh strainer or chinois then blend the other half and strain. Transfer to a wide, shallow container and put into the fridge to quickly cool. (Or use an ice bath: Fill a large bowl with ice water. Put the container of shrimp stock in the ice water until cool.)
Use this stock as the base for soups and sauces, or to add extra flavor to the restaurant’s Tuna Tartare Toast (see Recipe). If not using immediately, this will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you are using the shrimp stock for Tuna Tartare Toast, cool it immediately: Transfer to a wide, shallow container and put it into the refrigerator to quickly cool. (The other option would be an ice bath: Fill a bowl with ice water and set the container of stock inside of the bath — do not put the stock directly into ice water — stirring to quickly cool.)
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