#4667: conch w/ butter sauce and more (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: anzalone <aanz@sirius.com>

I don't know how Lambi is prepared in Haiti, but I ate alot of conch in the
caribbean, my favorite is conch in butter sauce. Just cut the cleaned conch
into bite sized pieces and fry it up with some garlic and onion in butter,
add milk or water and a little flour to make the sauce. Season with black
pepper and that great west indian hot sauce made with scotch bonnet
peppers. Serve with rice and fried plantains. Stew conch is another popular
dish but I think the conch is overpowered by heavier, tomato based sauce.
Fritters are always good for an appetizer. And then there's Kallaloo. Made
from conch, land crab, okra, spinach and just about anything else depending
on who makes it and where, it can range from delicious to disgusting, but
always interesting.

The real trick to any conch recipe is getting it out of the shell and
cleaning it. It's a muscle so alot of it is not edible.  A very sharp
knife, plenty of newspaper, rubber gloves, a screwdriver and a sense of
adventure should get you started, but I'd suggest having someone who knows
how clean it for you.

Conch, like the spiny lobster and whelk (a smallish rock clinging mollusk)
are disappearing all over the carribbean. Thirty years ago I could decide I
wanted lobster or conch for dinner, grab my snorkle and fins and go get
some. Those days are long gone. Over fishing by illegal methods is the main
cause, taking too many, too small animals while using scuba gear and spear
guns, but pollution is a also a factor. Most if not all islands have laws
protecting their sea life but they're seldom and pretty much impossible to
enforce. Sea Turtles are the exception in many places, there's a strong
network of groups trying to protect there nesting grounds.

Alan Anzalone
2200 Adeline St. #335
Oakland, CA 94607
510-268-9273
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