Shrimp Shell Stock:

By extracting great flavor from something you’d ordinarily throw out, making stock from shrimp shells is one of the smartest things a home cook can do. All it takes is this: Put whatever shells you have in a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring it to a boil, then take the pan off the heat and let the shells steep until you’re ready to use the stock, or until the water cools. Put the stock through a strainer; discard the shells and use or refrigerate (up to two days) or freeze (up to a month). Nothing easier, and often the best stock to use in seafood dishes.

About Pimentón:

I liked to tease José by nonchalantly referring to pimentón, Spain’s beloved smoked paprika, as simply “paprika.” His eyes lit up in astonishment, and he immediately began lecturing me about the provenance and flavor of “real” pimentón. He seems to oscillate between being angry at the Hungarians for producing something that could be confused with Spain’s noble spice and being angry at what he feels is the food world’s carelessness in thinking that paprika can mean just any “ground dried pepper.”

José’s jingoistic proclivities aside, pimentón is a great ingredient with a distinctive flavor that makes some Spanish food taste “right.” It’s made from certain types of peppers, which are picked ripe and then dried over the smoldering ashes of an oak fire, a process that reportedly takes up to two weeks and clearly imbues the peppers with a strong, smoky flavor.

There are three types of pimentón, hot, sweet, and bitter, but I’ve seen them used pretty interchangeably. If you can’t find a local source, try the Spice House, www.thespicehouse.com.