Veracruz Shrimp-Head Stock (Caldo de Cabezas de Camarón)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Dry comal or heavy skillet for toasting chile guajillo
• •Heavy 4-quart stockpot or glazed clay cazuela
• •Wooden spoon or pala for pressing shrimp heads
• •Fine-mesh sieve

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the guajillo

   Heat a dry comal over medium. Press the chile guajillo flat against the surface for 10 to 15 seconds per side, just until it smells warm and fruity. Do not let it blacken. Burned guajillo makes bitter stock, and a bitter stock will ruin the rice, the fideo, and whatever mole you thought you were saving.

2. 2

   Soften the chile

   Put the toasted guajillo in a small bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes. Hot water, not boiling. Boiling water roughens the chile skin and pulls out bitterness. Drain it before adding to the pot.

3. 3

   Fry the shells

   Melt the lard in a heavy stockpot or clay cazuela over medium heat. Add the shrimp heads and shells and stir with a wooden spoon until they turn bright coral and smell deeply of the Gulf, about 5 minutes. Press the heads against the pot as they cook. That fat and juice inside the heads is the reason you are making this stock. No me vengas con atajos.

4. 4

   Add the aromatics

   Add the garlic, white onion, tomato, softened guajillo, bay leaf, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and the tomato collapses into the shells. The guajillo should stain the fat brick red. That color belongs to Veracruz kitchens, not to a packet of powdered seasoning.

5. 5

   Simmer gently

   Pour in the cold water and bring the pot to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Keep the bubbles lazy. A hard boil makes the stock cloudy and drags harsh shell flavor into the broth. Add the epazote for the last 8 minutes so it perfumes the pot without taking over.

6. 6

   Strain and press

   Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or pot. Press firmly on the heads and shells with the back of a ladle. Do not be delicate. The best flavor is trapped there. Discard the solids only after they have given everything.

7. 7

   Taste and store

   Taste for salt. The stock should taste savory and marine, with a clean chile depth, not hot. Use it the same day for arroz a la tumbada, sopa de fideo, seafood rice, or a mole huasteco, or chill it quickly and refrigerate. Saber cocinar es saber vivir.

Chef Tips

• •Buy whole shrimp with the heads on from a fishmonger who moves product fast. The heads should smell clean and sweet, never like ammonia. Bad shrimp heads make bad stock. Technique cannot rescue poor seafood.
• •Do not skip pressing the heads after simmering. That orange coral and juice carry the flavor. A cook who strains without pressing is leaving Veracruz in the sieve.
• •This stock is not meant to be hot. Chile guajillo gives color and roundness. If you want more heat for another dish, add chile de árbol later to that dish, not here.
• •If you cannot find fresh epazote, leave it out before you use dried epazote. Dried epazote can taste dusty in a clean seafood stock. That is a compromise, not an upgrade.

Advance Preparation

• •The stock keeps refrigerated for 3 days in a covered jar or container. Chill it quickly before storing.
• •Freeze in 1-cup portions for up to 2 months. Use straight from frozen in rice, sopa de fideo, seafood stews, or Veracruz-style sauces.
• •For a clearer stock, strain once through a fine-mesh sieve and again through damp cheesecloth. For home cooking, the first strain is enough. La cocina no es decoración, es trabajo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)