Dear Conch

                In the beginning... yeah, no, that's not working. 

                The first time I saw conch was its shell being blown into by Windies supporters on JBC during a cricket test series. Another time, I saw it being used as a door stop. The next time was one Friday after a swim meet, me and my hungry belly self requested a small conch soup, 4 festivals, and a quarter pan chicken: meal of an athlete? You tell me.

Friday Conch – Amazing Tradition

                Take an opinion poll on Harbour View residents regarding sentiments toward our beloved home, we’ll say “it far and it boring, but we born and grow yah.” I actually like that it takes 10 minutes to get from even the Stadium to the first Total (Daddy’s speed). Why? No traffic, close proximity to the airport and Port Royal fish, and Conch soup and/or stew at the roundabout on a Friday night.

                “A big conch soup and 3 festival deh!” Honestly, I could eat conch soup every other day or night, but the cooks make me wait. It’s worth it. Yes, it’s a sea snail and the meat is rubbery, but it does so well with potato, carrot, curry, salt and festival. As such, I wanted to see what else my Friday love goes well with.

                Initially, my plan was plantain-wrapped conch with a watermelon garlic sauce, as inspired by plantain-wrapped crab cakes with avocado aioli. But, I am still in search of the perfect plantain that will behave itself and not rip. So, kabobs were my next option.

Watermelon & Garlic Wash

1 slice Red Watermelon                                                           1 slice Yellow Watermelon

4 cloves Garlic – crushed and diced                                         2 tbsp vegetable/coconut oil

1 pinch salt                                                                              1 tbsp brown sugar

Wash your hands then crush the melon pieces in a bowl. Throw in the oil, garlic, salt and sugar; mix, cover, and leave on the counter. 

Before: The conch & plantain adventure on the grill!

Conch & Plantain Kabobs

5 Bamboo skewers                 ¼ yellow onion                    ¼ of a green pepper         ½ cup plantain (diced)        

¼ of a yellow pepper              ¼ of a red pepper                ¼ lb conch                       ¼ cup salt & pepper 

Coarsely cut the conch and season in the salt and pepper mix for 1 hour. 

Arrange the conch, peppers, onion, and plantain cubes on the skewers.     

Coat the skewers with the wash and put them on the grill (or flat stove surface, like mine, because my grill was misbehaving).

Turn the skewers every 3 minutes and coat the skewers each time, til the conch is slightly charred. 

  

M.I.: Done! Skewers plated with tossed salad and squeeze of lime

This experiment went well; the plantain caramelized amazingly! Pree the combination and let me know what you think.

Eat well.

Til lata,

Gillian M.