Special 4th of July Stock

Happy 4th of July! For those of you who have lobster bake for the celebration, save your shells and the liquid to make stock! I saved mine from a previous meal and made lobster stock with several heads.


It was relatively easy since I just tossed in whatever I had. Here's what I put in mine:

• 7 lobster heads (and 2 shells from the tail)
• 1/2 of a large onion cut into large dice
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot cut into large dice
• 1 celery stalk cut into large dice
• handful of fennel stalks (I always have this in the freezer since I don't like to waste my fennel)
• 2 tbs tomato paste
  
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tbs peppercorns
• bunch of fresh thyme
• 1/2C brandy
• 2 quarts of liquid from a shrimp & lobster boil
  

First, I saved just a tiny bit of lobster meat from a previous meal so that I can make lobster risotto with the stock and reserved meat. Then, I put the heads in a stock pot with some oil and let them brown a bit to coax more flavor out of them. I added onions and garlic and let them soften a bit before adding the tomato paste. After about 2 minutes, I added the brandy, and scraped the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful brown bits. The rest of the ingredients went in, followed by water enough to cover the lobster heads.

I boiled the mixture until I thought the liquid was at the right flavor and consistency and was left with about 2 quarts of stock. It took about an hour and a half to two hours in total. I had enough of this flavorful stock full of crustacean goodness to make lobster risotto and a bit less than a cup left to make something else! What else will I make with the remaining stock? Don't worry, I'll be sure to share with you!