Kicked Up Conch Fritters
Kicked Up Conch FrittersSwap the beautiful shell for an outside that's fried golden brown, hush-puppy-style, and you've got a Montego Bay, Jamaica delicacy that's perfect on vacation... and pretty close at home tonight. Shell yeah! |
Ingredients:
Mmm, conch fritters — enough said. Here’s what goes in:
- 2 lbs whole conch
- 2 oz red onions
- ¼ lbs medium green peppers
- ¼ lb medium red peppers
- ½ lb fresh scotch bonnet peppers
- 4 oz cilantro
- ¼ oz oregano
- 1½ tsp thyme
- 1 lemon
- 1 lime
This is what you’ll need for the garnish:
- 3 lbs plantains
- 2 oz cilantro
- ½ lb leeks
You’ve gotta make a choux paste! (And you’ve gotta pronounce it like “shoe.”) Here’s how:
- 8 oz water
- 3 oz gruyere cheese
- 2 oz butter
- 4 oz flour
- cayenne pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Don’t forget pickapeppa sauce! You can buy some in a bottle, or make your own with this:
- 1 medium tomato
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 2 cup dark raisin
- ½ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup mango pulp
- ¼ cup tamarind pulp
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- ½ half cup ginger juice (from pickle ginger)
- 2 scotch bonnet chili peppers
- ½ tsp clove powder
- ½ quart mineral water
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
Let's Do This Thing:
Okay, let’s start by making the choux paste:
- Add butter to water and boil.
- Add flour and mix. Take care not to form lumps.
- Remove from heat, season with nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Add the eggs and mix with the gruyere cheese.
Now let’s prepare some conch:
- Clean and tenderize the conch.
- Marinate with some hand-crushed scotch bonnet peppers, lemon and lime rind, the white part of the scallion, lime juice and crushed cilantro stem. Allow to marinate for two hours.
- Dice the conch and chop the onion, red pepper, green pepper and pureed scotch bonnet pepper. Finely chop all the herbs.
- Combine all the ingredients with choux paste, finish with cornstarch if necessary. Shape the mixture into small balls and deep fry in medium-hot oil until crisp and golden-brown. (Make sure not to overcook!)
If you’re making the pickapeppa sauce, do it this way:
- Say “pickapeppa” a few times. It’s fun, right?
- Heat your saucepan and add oil. Lightly sauté the onion and garlic.
- Top burger with crispy onion ring, BBQ sauce, sliced onions, tomato and lettuce.
- Add tomatoes, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers and raisins. Cook for few minutes.
- Simmer for an hour, remove from the heat and blend.
- Place back on heat, cook further and then strain.
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