Florida Cracker Conch Chowder Recipes

CONCH CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan (soup pot) over high heat, bring conch and 8 cups water to a boil. Drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt shortening (or bacon fat). Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, carrot and garlic and saute until browned. You may have to cook in batches depending on size of skillet. Transfer vegetable to soup pot when cooked.
• Add drained conch and 3 quarts of water to soup pot along with potatoes, tomato puree, tomato paste, oregano, basil, bay leaves and hot pepper sauce.
• Put soup pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until conch are tender and potatoes are cooked. Discard bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.

FLORIDA KEYS CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. You will need a 6 qt pot. With your food processor mince the following one at a time: The onion, the garlic, the green pepper, the red pepper and the carrots. You can mince your carrots less than the other ingredients if you like chunks of carrots in your soup.
• 2. Over medium heat, add the olive oil to your pot. Add the onions, carrots, red pepper, green pepper and garlic. Saute the veggies for about 8 minutes.
• 3. Add the tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to the veggies. Turn stove to Low medium heat.
• 4. In a measuring cup, add the tomato paste to the cold water. Mix until tomato paste is diluted. Add to veggies and tomatoes in pot.
• 5. While these are all simmering together, add the salt, pepper,oregano, garlic powder, sugar and cayenne pepper.
• 6. If you are using Conch, make sure it is thawed out. Place the conch in a zip lock bag and hammer away at it, making it about 1/4 inch thick or less. You want to flatten it so that it starts to tear about. Place Conch in food processor and pulse for about 6 seconds, you want to still have lumpy pieces of conch but most of it should be minced. I take 1/2 of my conch and mince it really fine and the other half I mince less.
• 7. Cut your Shrimp into 4 pieces sideways, to make small chunks of shrimp.
• 8. If you are using any other sea food, such as lobster, or any white fish, cut them into small bite size pieces.
• 9. Add the uncooked sea food of your choice to the soup. Most of the time, I make mine with Conch and Shrimp. When I add Lobster It adds a more fish taste to it, so keep in mind that the lobster and fish will be more fishy tasting, but Oh so Good!!
• 10. Turn your heat to simmer, let the soup simmer covered, for about 2 hours (mixing and tasting so that you may add more salt and pepper and garlic to your liking) until all of the veggies are cooked through. The sea food will cook fairly fast, but not to worry all of the ingredients in the soup will not make the seafood chewy.
• 11. 30 Minutes before serving time, take the lid off the pot and let the soup thicken up a bit.. Throw some soup cracker over the top of the soup bowls and enjoy!!

BAHAMIAN CONCH CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a very large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon with olive oil over medium heat. When bacon is almost cooked, add garlic and jalapenos and cook for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the onion, celery, carrots, fennel, and bell peppers. Add herbs, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat. Add the stock, stir in the ground conch and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Add hot red pepper sauce, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes, then serve, or chill for later use.

FLORIDA CRACKER CONCH CHOWDER

Steps:

• Saute bacon until just turning brown.
• Add in onions, garlic and potatoes and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add in water, grouper and spices and bring to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes, covered.
• Add in conch and cook 5 more minutes. Serve warm with crackers.
• Note: I like mine with a touch of hot sauce added to the bowl.