How to Steam Conch

Learn how to cook conch meat.

While the shell of a conch produces a nice decoration for the home, the meat from a conch makes a nice addition for seafood dishes. Husked and trimmed conch meat should have a translucent white color and a fresh seawater smell. Steaming fresh conch in a simple sauce produces an easy meal to place over rice or pasta. Steam a batch of conch with some onions, capers and other tasty ingredients to impress your friends and family.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups
• Sharp knife
• Flat-leaf parsley
• White onion
• Garlic
• Tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Large sauté pan with lid
• Dry white wine
• Cooked Rice or pasta
• Hot sauce or chili flakes
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Finely chop 1 cup of fresh, flat-leaf parsley, 1/2 cup of white onion and 3 cloves of garlic with a sharp knife. Coarsely chop 1 1/2 cups of red tomatoes.

2. Pour 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and parsley and cook until the onions turn clear over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened slightly. Turn the heat to low.

3. Chop 2 cups of fresh conch meat and add it to the pan. Pour in 1 cup of a dry white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier into the saute pan. Add 2 tbsp of minced capers.

4. Cover and allow the conch to cook for five minutes. Remove the cover and stir all the ingredients together. Allow the sauce and conch to cook for several minutes more with the cover removed to reduce the sauce.

5. Spoon the steamed conch and sauce immediately over basmati rice or angel hair pasta.

Tips & Warnings

• Spice up your conch sauce by adding a teaspoon hot sauce or crushed chili flakes.

• Conch is slightly sweeter than clam meat. Add salt and pepper to taste to increase the flavor of your sauce.

• Do not overcook the conch meat. Like other seafood, conch that is overly cooked will have a rubbery and tough texture.

References

• The New York Times; :Conch Steam"; Betty Fussell; 1988
• Epicurious; "Charred Squid and Conch Buljol with "Soused; Green Figs and Tomato Chokha Coulis"; Khalid Mohammed; 2006