BAHAMIAN CONCH CHOWDER

By á-46

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• • 1 medium onion, chopped
• • 2 stalks celery, chopped
• • 2 large carrots, chopped
• • 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• • 1 medium potato, sweet potato, or yucca, peeled and chopped
• • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 6 sprigs fresh
• • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• • 3 bay leaves
• • 1 (16-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• • 1 (16-ounce) can clam juice
• • 2 cups cold water
• • 1 pound chopped frozen conch, defrosted, or 16 ounces chopped clams with liquid
• • 1 tablespoon malt or red wine vinegar
• • 6 sprigs parsley, chopped
• • 4 scallions, minced
• • Salt to taste
• • Cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the olive or canola oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat.

Saute the onion, celery, carrots, red pepper, potato, thyme, red chili flakes, allspice, and bay leaves for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, clam juice, and cold water.
Bring to a boil and immediately lower to a simmer.

If using defrosted conch meat, add now and cook for 35 minutes, uncovered.
Then add the malt, parsley, scallions, salt, and cayenne pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes.

If using chopped clams, add now along with the malt or red wine vinegar, parsley, scallions, salt, and cayenne pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes longer.