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"Marathon- the Heart of the Florida Keys"

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Conch Recipes - all listed on this page

Bahamian Conch Chowder Keys Conch Chowder Cat Cay Conch Fritters

Please note that it is illegal to harvest Conch in the Florida Keys. In the Bahamas you are prohibited from using Scuba or spearguns of any type for lobster.

Bahamian Conch Chowder:

2 lbs Conch
1 large red pepper
3 oz salt pork
1 clove Garlic
2 bay leaves
2 c. half & half
3 c. boiled, diced potatoes
2 T. flour
Salt & Pepper to taste

2 large white onions
1 large green pepper
3 c. chicken stock
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sugar
2 c. heavy cream
2 T. butter
1/2 c sherry or marsala

Pound skinned conch with a mallet to tenderize. Cut into 1 inch squares. Dice the onions and peppers. Dice salt pork and fry to render fat. Sauté onions and peppers in the fat until limp. Discard the pork pieces.
Cover the conch squares with chicken stock in a large pot, add garlic, thyme, bay leaves and sugar. Simmer until conch is tender - about 1/2 hour. Add half & half, cream, diced potatoes, onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together well.
Blend butter and flour together and add gradually, stirring to blend to lightly thicken chowder. Do not thicken too much!
When thoroughly heated, stir in the wine and serve. Makes about 8 servings.

Keys Conch Chowder

2 lbs Conch
2 large onions
1 green pepper
2 T. butter
6 oz tomato paste
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. sherry

3 c. chicken broth
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
8 oz tomato sauce
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Put Conch through food grinder. Put ground conch in large pot and cover with chicken broth. Simmer for 30 minutes. Dice the peppers and garlic cloves. Sauté in the butter until limp. Add to the conch and broth. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, potatoes, oregano and salt and pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Add sherry and hot pepper sauce and simmer for 5 minutes more. Makes about 8 servings.

Cat Cay Conch Fritters

8 oz ground Conch
1/2 c. diced green peppers
1/2 c. diced onions
1 tsp. worcestershire
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
Vegetable oil for deep frying

1/2 c. peeled, seeded, chopped tomato
1/4 tsp. diced garlic
1/2 tsp. tobasco
2 c. all purpose flour combined with 1/2 tsp. double acting baking powder

Combine all but the flour mix in a large bowl. Stir in the flour mixture gradually. Deep fry tablespoons of the batter in batches in 375 degree oil, turning them, for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Serve with cocktail sauce or make a sauce of 1 c. mayonnaise, 2 tsp. worcestershire, 1/2 tsp. Tabasco. Makes about 25 Fritters.

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