Conch Chowder - Large Pot

By Joan_Z

Ingredients

• 6-10 Conchs, peeled, clean & ground w/lemon juice
• 1/2 lb. Bacon or 1 ham bone with meat on it
• 2 Onions - quartered
• 1 Green pepper sans seeds & core diced
• 6-8 Celery Ribs
• 2-4 Bay leaves
• 4 Tbsp tsp. Thyme or to taste
• 1 Tbsp. Salt
• 1 16 oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 1 6 oz can Tomato paste
• 3 Potatoes - medium -diced
• 2-4 carrots sliced
• 1 green pepper chopped
• Tabasco sauce to taste.

Preparation

Step 1

Grind raw conch with lemon juice.

Boil conch in enough water to fill a 6 quart sauce pan and simmer for 2 hours, skimming off froth as necessary.

Fry 1/2 lb. bacon, 2 large onions, diced green pepper, stalks celery. Add bay leaves and thyme and salt. Simmer 1 hour.

Add pepper, 16 oz can of tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir to blend and add 3 diced medium potatoes. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender and remove from heat.

Add 2 tablespoons of hot sauce to taste. For best flavor, refrigerate several hours and reheat. Serve with Conch fritters.