re: Substitute for seafood/shrimp stock for crawfish étouffée?

Thanks. I'm trying to make all of the Louisiana dishes I grew up eating or my mother/grandmother made or that I only ate in restaurants. Living away from Louisiana means either I make it right at my house or I can only get it a few times a year when I go home. So, I am building the repertoire and finding that it is harder when you don't have the native ingredients.

My mother made some shrimp stock for me a while back, but I lost it when the freezer went on the blink. I could do it with her guidance on the phone, but I'm trying to avoid spending the time/money on the shrimp just for that. Shrimp here is about $9 a pound with heads and shells on.