# seafood base



## awright (Sep 27, 2006)

I encountered a first as a food writer tonight. A chef gave me a recipe that started with seafood base. My questions: Where is it available to home cooks? Are there substitutes? Are there caveats for using it?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Find a store that carries "Better than Bouillion". They have some seafood based bases. A Kroger owned store should have some.

You use it like any other base. I can't speak as to quality, probably same as other bases.

Phil


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

It is seafood base that is the substitute. It is a substitute for real seafood stock -- easy enough to make from shrimp, lobster, and/or crab shells, aromatics, and water (plus maybe a little wine and tomato product). Any restaurant that makes fresh food does that, rather than using bases. 

Depending on the caliber of the chef :look: it could very well be that "Better than Boullion" is what home cooks should use instead. Or Kitchen Basics Seafood Stock, which is already mixed with water. Even Knorr makes some reasonable stock cubes. However, there are powders and bases used in lesser commercial kitchens that are comparable to the horrible stuff for home cooks -- mostly salt, hydrolized yeast powder, etc., to be avoided by everyone.


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## jonk (Dec 21, 2005)

We keep LeGout clam base around for non-critical uses, but if the seafood stock is a main component of the recipe, I'd make mine from scratch as it's pretty easy.


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## jock (Dec 4, 2001)

A million years ago I used to buy a dehydrated fish stock from Williams-Sonoma and it was called Sea Bags. They stopped selling it and I've never found it since. It was good too. There was nothing in the ingredients list I wouldn't put in my own stock and without the smell of fish in the house all day.
Costco used to sell a chicken base (still do for all I know) but I'm not sure if they sell fish base as well.

Jock


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## carolinesexton (May 31, 2012)

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I have been looking for "sea bags" fish base for years now;  the supply has simply evaporated.  If you ever do find it again, or anything approximating its purity, let me know.  

I may try to give the Williams-Sonoma merchant a ring to see if they would let us know who made it or if they might carry it again.  Never hurts to try.  I will let you know via this site if I am successful.

I can honestly say that I have not made bouillabaisse since the supply dried up.  

All the best,

Caroline


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

No soup base is a substitute for the real thing. When they were all introduced back in the late 50s thay were to be used as an enhancer for stocks not a replacement. Most of them the main ingredient is salt. 

    For home cooks you can buy pork, chicken , veal and seafood base in any good asian grocery store And at a far better price then supermarkets. Maggi makes a good chicken base but not available in supermarkets. The one you see made by them in the supermarket is terrible.The brands like Minor, Le Gout, Custom  etc are only available wholesale.  Maggi soup bases are available in some supermarkest but I have never seen seafood. Save shrimp shells and fish bones and scrap make your own then add the base to help it. Most  of the things we buy commercially is specificly made for commercial . Even the Hellmans may we get is heavier then the one sold retail.Don't believe me try it. ? Heinz is also different.


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