Conch Salad Bahamian-Style

1. Slice the thin side of the conch meat from the fatter trunk and cut it into ¼-inch dice. Slice the trunk into strips, cut the strips in half, and cut into ¼-inch dice. Place the conch (there should be about 3 cups) in a large glass bowl.

2. Add the citrus juices, onion, tomato, bell pepper, chiles, and salt and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap placed flush against the surface and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Variation: Scorch

1. If you go under the bridge that takes you from Nassau to Paradise Island, on the Nassau side, you will encounter many vendors selling fruits, vegetables, and seafood. Some are set up in little shacks where they cook local foods and sell beer. Each little restaurant can seat no more than ten or twelve people, making eating there a fun and intimate experience. I have tried a few of the places, but my favorite is #8, also known as The Burning Spot. You can get a beautiful conch salad there, but nine out of ten patrons (almost all local) sit down and order a beer and “scorch”: similar to conch salad but simpler—no tomatoes or peppers, just conch, onion, juices, salt, and hot chiles—lots of hot chiles. This dish definitely falls into the “hotter than hell” category.

2. To make Scorch, omit the tomatoes and bell peppers from the salad and double the amount of habanero and bird chiles.

Notes

1. Working Ahead: You can prepare the ingredients for this salad a couple  of hours before you plan to eat it, but don’t combine them until 1 hour  before serving. This salad is best eaten very fresh.

2. How to crack conch: To crack conch, you will need a small hammer and a small sharp knife. Find the spot where the abductor mussel is fastened to the shell almost directly behind the opening, and tap with the hammer to crack a hole there. Insert the knife and cut the conch away from the shell. It will slide right out. Cut away the soft viscera and discard. Wash the meaty part of the conch in saltwater or salted water. Drain well.