Conch Stew *Jamaican*

Jamaican-Style Conch Stew

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups water

½ pound conch* meat, cleaned, boiled and chopped

2 tablespoons pimento seeds (all spice, not ground)

2 scotch bonnet*** peppers, de-seeded and minced

1 turnip, diced

1 chayote, diced

1 medium white onion, diced

8 cups salted chicken broth

½ cup pumpkin puree

5 small potatoes, cut into chunks

1-2 green bananas, sliced

4 sprigs thyme

2 scallions, diced

Kosher salt to taste

Method

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, boil 2 cups water and add conch meat and pimento. Let cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add scotch bonnet, turnip, chayote and onion.
3. Add broth and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Add pumpkin puree, potatoes and banana.
5. Add in thyme, scallion and salt to taste.

 *If conch is unavailable, a suitable substitute is a mixture of clam and lobster meat or clam and Argentinian red shrimp.

**To make this soup thick like a stew, okra can be added at the end and cooked for an additional 10 minutes.

***Habaneros are a fine substitute for Scotch Bonnet, however they are more sweet and have less heat, so up the number by 1 or 2 if you want it spicy.

Enjoy!