Shellfish Sauce

 

This sauce is a supplement for other recipes!

Preparation You'll need: A pan A blender A jar or similar to keep the sauce in the fridge for a few days, or to freeze it.
Ingredients (for 2 to 3 persons) The carapace of 32 large shrimps (just shrimps or lobster; around what you'll get when cooking a full shellfish meal for 2 or 3 personsn) I only use the carapace and the legs, some people take the heads, too, but we didn't like the taste so much, when we tried that. 200 mL dry white wine 30 mL Ricard 30 mL Noilly Prat 1 carrot, if you've got it: celeriac or half a leek would be great 200 mL fish fond ½ thai chili 2 tsp lemon juice 1 shallot 2 cloves of garlic if you want, coriander root 75 g Crème fraîche Attention: This is for when you want to finish the sauce and serve it. If you just want to freeze it, you won't need to buy that just now, but don't forget it later on!
Preparation, step 1 (after this, the sauce can go into the fridge, or get frozen). First roughly chop the shells, also roughly chop the vegetables, the ½ chili, 1 shallot and the 2 cloves of garlic. Now fry the shells with some oil in a pan on medium to high heat until the pieces start to get brown, then roast them on medium heat with the vegetables and so on. Deglaze with 200 mL white wine, 30 mL Ricard and 30 mL Noilly Prat, reduce by half (maybe 5 minutes). Then add 200 mL fish fond and 2 tsp lemon juice and let it simmer almost half an hour. Pour into blender, puree and pass through a fine sieve. If you want to have that sauce immediately for a recipe you're cooking, continue with step 2.
Preparation, step 2 Pour the sauce into a small pot, heat it up, but don't let it cook. Add 75 g Crème fraîche, season to taste with salt and pepper. That's it.

The sauce goes well with any fish or certainly with shellfish.