Crab Stock and He Said Yes!

Happy 2011!!! Hope everyone rang/is ringing the New Year in with a bang! Here in Germany you don't have much choice. The fireworks starts going off at least a week prior. It's nice, but I have 3 sleeping babies! Or babies who SHOULD be asleep.

Me? Found out my kitchen sink has a leak. So besides that, I am happy to see another year and to have a lovely healthy family.


So you're wondering who said yes? What are you talking about NOW Mama?


I proposed to my husband (well I did last month)! We've only been married for 3 years and together for 4 years, but our union was not romantic one bit. We were just trying to get the paperwork done and be together which all should matter in the end. I literally went to the Justice of Peace, said my vows, ate a Doner Kebap then went back to work not the sexy work, but work work. Not so romantic, so I want a nice party. Not a big party, but a little party with us and a couple friends. I want to make the cake and the food and even have my hand at the designs with the help my good friend Becca.

 I am SOOOO nervous, but I am going to do it.....by November. Now that I've posted this on my blog, it better happen! Shit! What inspired this was the amazing wedding/post wedding blogs I follow. Their wedding days looks so amazing and I felt guilty that I don't celebrate love. We don't even have a photo from the day we got married. We're too laid back and I want to change that. Not in an extreme way, but instead of babysitting friends children on my anniversary, I will have others babysit my little ones so I can spend quality time with my amazing  husband.

Our SECOND date. That was a shirt I swear, mom.

So to do that I have to tap deeper into my creative side. I've been inspired by the craft blogs I read, I started with my New Year's Day table. Probably not AMAZING. But  it was cheap. Most of the decor came from the 1 Euro store!!! The wreath in the middle was 1 euro cent!



I am starting small. I am not a resolution kind of girl.  Last year my New Year's resolution was "not to get pregnant". My husband had a vasectomy a few months prior so...yeah I better not have gotten pregnant for many reasons!


Another way I am challenging myself this year is of course in the kitchen. Looking to blow your minds with delicious recipes that's range from easy to "DAMN I'm good" challenging. So be ready :)


If you ever make a seafood stew or creamy sauce using homemade stock will make it amazing. I've made chicken and turkey stock, but not seafood. And it's difficult to find here in Germany (even at the commissary). Besides, homemade stock is far more amazing than store-bought anyway!


 For my New Year's Day Menu, I am making a dish featuring crab meat and I be damned if I use the canned crab. So instead I used frozen crab legs which I boiled, cooled, removed meat and saved the shells. Instead of throwing away those shells, I had just enough to make stock!


Awesome foodie Salty Seattle suggested over twitter that I add mirin or fish sauce to flavor the broth. I used fish sauce. This broth is rich, flavor, delectably fragrant and I am excited to put use to this amazing stock!
HI!
Crab Stock
Adapted from epicurious.com
2 pounds picked-over crab shells (cracked or chopped) and /or crab bodies (cut into 1-inch pieces, carapace discarded; see Cook’s Notes), crab tomalley, and, if necessary, shrimp shells or lobster carcasses  2 quarts water
1 medium to large onion, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (tomato "guts" or canned or fresh)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Splash of mirin or fish sauce
Kosher or sea salt

Directions

1. Place the crab bodies, shells, and tomalley (and optional shrimp shells or lobster carcasses) in a 6- to 8-quart stockpot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, skimming the white foam from the surface of the stock. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.) Reduce the heat so the stock cooks at a fast, steady simmer.

2. Add the onion, celery, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme, and let the stock simmer and cook down for about 1 hour. The liquid should just cover the crab shells as the stock cooks; if it doesn’t, just add a little water.

3. Season the stock lightly with salt, mirin/fish stock. Taste for a rich flavor; if it seems light, simmer for about 20 minutes longer.

4. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer. If you are not going to be using it within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the broth after it has completely cooled and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.