-
1
Tenderise and Dice the Conch
10 Mins
Keep the conch cold, at 4°C (39°F) or below
Lay the cleaned conch on a board and pound it firmly with a meat mallet, turning it over once, until it is about 1 cm thick all over and the fibres have relaxed. Cut it into strips, then dice it into pieces about 1 cm across and put it in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Do not use a food processor — it turns the conch to paste.
If the conch still springs back under the mallet, pound it again; a piece that resists the knife will resist your teeth.
Done when: The conch is flat, pale and tender, and cuts cleanly into small even dice.
-
2
Dice the Vegetables
10 Mins
No heat — work at room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Dice the seeded tomato, onion, green pepper, celery and cucumber into pieces about 1 cm across and add them to the bowl with the conch. Add the minced goat pepper last, starting with half if you are unsure of the heat, and toss everything together with clean hands or a spoon so the colours are evenly mixed.
Taste a pinch of the goat pepper on its own first — one pepper can be mild and the next fiery, so add it a little at a time.
Done when: The bowl is a bright, even mix of white conch, red tomato, white onion and green pepper, with no large chunks anywhere.
-
3
Mix the Citrus Cure
5 Mins
Juice at room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
In a small jug, stir the lime juice, orange juice and salt together until the salt has dissolved. Pour the juice over the conch and vegetables and toss well so every piece is coated — the acid is what cures the conch, firming the flesh and turning the edges opaque white, like ceviche.
Pour the juice over the salad, not the salad into the juice — you want every piece coated at once, not sitting in a puddle.
Done when: Every piece glistens with juice and the edges of the conch are starting to turn opaque white.
-
4
Cure and Chill
15 Mins
Chill in the fridge at 4°C (39°F)
Cover the bowl and leave it in the fridge for 15 minutes so the lime juice can cure the conch and the flavours can marry. Do not leave it longer than 30 minutes — the acid keeps working, and after an hour the conch turns rubbery and the vegetables go soft. Taste and add a pinch more salt or another squeeze of lime if it needs it.
Fifteen minutes is the sweet spot: the conch is firm and bright, the vegetables are still crisp, and the heat of the pepper has spread through the bowl.
Done when: The conch is opaque at the edges, firm but tender when bitten, and the salad tastes bright, salty and just hot enough.
-
5
Serve Cold
5 Mins
Serve cold, at 4°C (39°F)
Spoon the salad into bowls with some of its juices, pile it high like the vendors at Arawak Cay do, and garnish with lime and orange wedges. Serve at once, cold, with crackers or johnny cake on the side for scooping.
Serve it the day you make it — this is a raw dish, and it does not improve with waiting.
Done when: The salad is cold, bright and juicy, piled high in the bowl with citrus wedges on top.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Pile the salad high in bowls, garnish with lime and orange wedges, and serve this bahamian conch salad recipe cold with crackers or johnny cake for scooping — the way it is sold at the fish fry.
Bahamas
45m
Italy
Thailand