Step 1

Add the oil, shrimp shells, onion, carrots, celery and garlic to a heavy bottom pot that has a tight fitted lid. Heat over medium and cook the shrimp shells until pink and vegetables start to soften, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2

Next add in the parsley, bay, coriander, peppercorns and water. Cover the pot, leaving the lid askew and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Place a mesh strainer into a large bowl or 8-cup liquid measuring cup. Use a ladle to remove most of the vegetables and shells to the strainer before carefully pouring the remaining stock through. Discard shrimp shells and vegetables.

Step 4

Allow the shrimp stock to cool before storing. This can be kept in the fridge for a few weeks or frozen up to 3 months.

Step 5

Simply Scratch Tip: To freeze, pre-measure the stock into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays for easy portioning later on when cooking. 2 cup measures are great for soups and risotto, while the ice cube trays are best for sauces.