The easiest and most economical stock there is. And not only can it substitute for fish stock, but it’s useful in its own right. You can add vegetables, as you do for Fish Stock (preceding recipe), but it isn’t essential.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 quart

　　Shells from 2 pounds shrimp

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Put the shells in a medium saucepan and add about 1 quart water or enough to cover. Bring it to a boil, then take the pan off the heat and let the shells steep until the water cools. (Or, if you’re in a hurry, use it right away.)

　　

Step 2

Strain the stock, discard the shells, and add salt and pepper. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to a month.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.