Conch Fritters with A Spicy Dip
I found this Conch Fritter recipe in an old issue of a Nevis Newspaper, The Observer, and after trying it, decided that I had to include it as it is so typically Caribbean, and quite tasty too. The dip should be made well in advance so that it has time to cool .
Ingredients for the dip:
½ Cup White Wine Vinegar
11 Ounces Yellow Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half.
11 Ounces Red Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half.
4 Green Chilies, finely minced.
2 Scotch Bonnet peppers, finely minced
1 Tablespoon fresh Ginger, grated
2½ Cane Sugar, white sugar can also be used
Ingredients for the fritters:
1¼ Pounds Fresh Conch Meat (#ad). Cut into thumb sized pieces
¼ Pound all purpose flour
1 Ounce Cornmeal
1 12 Ounce bottle of Carib Beer
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Canola Oil for deep frying
Cooking Method for dip:
Put all ingredients into thick bottomed pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy, stirring it occasionally.
Allow to cool completely before serving.
Cooking method for fritters:
Combine flour, cornmeal, Kosher salt, and beer to make a smooth batter. Dredge conch meat in batter allowing excess batter to drip off. Fry the conch fritters in enough canola oil (heated to 365 digress Fahrenheit) to cover the conch fritters for about 2 minutes. Do not overcrowd the deep fryer.
Serve piping hot and garnish with lime wedges and a couple of Carib Beers…Beer counts as a garnish doesn’t’ it?
Nutritional Value Of Conch
The health benefits of conch
For starters, it’s a good source of lean protein. In addition, this unusual seafood is a good source of iron and calcium. And according to FishWatch, it is high in vitamin E and B12, both nutrients proved to support sexual health. It is also a source of magnesium, selenium (#ad) and folate.