Nothing says summer like fresh lobster, be it as a salad on a buttery roll, a crab-stuffed tail or simply boiled whole. Considered a delicacy, lobster demands (and deserves!) a premium price. A great way to get more bang for your buck is by making stock from the leftover shells.

Lobster stock can be frozen and used all year long in soups, sauces, paellas, risottos and seafood pastas, adding a delicious and briny flavor of the sea.

**Seafood stew made with lobster stock.** *Image: Lisa Denning*

Following is a recipe based on one I discovered at splendidtable.org, a version from a book, The Improvisational Cook, by Sally Schneider. It’s my go-to for lobster stock, taking only 10 minutes of prep and one hour cooking time.

Yield: about 6-8 cups

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Shells and legs from two 1 1/2-pound lobsters, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
A dash of hot pepper flakes
2 cups dry white wine
1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
Cold water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Add oil to large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add lobster shells, onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and hot pepper. Sauté, stirring often, 6-8 minutes, until onions are softened and lobster shells are fragrant. Reduce heat to medium if onions begin to brown.

2. Add wine and tomatoes with their juice, and return to simmer. Cook another 5 minutes, then add enough cold water to cover shells. Return to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to gently simmer another 30-40 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

3. When slightly cooled, pour broth through a fine strainer, pressing to extract all liquid from the solids. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.

Note: The recipe can be scaled up according to how many lobster shells you have, sautéing in batches if necessary.