📝 About This Recipe
A true taste of the Islands, this authentic Bahamian Conch Salad is a vibrant, 'cooked-by-acid' ceviche that highlights the pristine sweetness of fresh queen conch. Bursting with the crunch of bell peppers, the heat of goat peppers, and a refreshing citrus bath, it is the ultimate coastal refresher. This dish isn't just a meal; it’s a sensory journey to a beachside shack in Nassau, where the salt air meets the zing of fresh lime.
🥗 Ingredients
The Seafood
- 1 pound Fresh Queen Conch meat (cleaned, skinned, and tenderized)
The Garden Crunch
- 1 medium White onion (finely diced)
- 1 medium Green bell pepper (seeded and finely diced)
- 2 large Roma tomatoes (firm, seeded and diced)
- 1/2 cup Cucumber (peeled and finely diced)
- 1 small Celery stalk (minced for extra crunch)
The Citrus & Spice
- 1/2 cup Fresh lime juice (roughly 3-4 limes)
- 1/4 cup Fresh sour orange juice (or a mix of orange and grapefruit juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon Goat pepper (minced; substitute with Scotch Bonnet if unavailable)
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper (freshly cracked)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by thoroughly cleaning the conch meat under cold running water. Remove any dark skin or 'slime' until the meat is pearly white and firm.
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2
Place the conch on a sturdy cutting board and lightly pound it with a meat mallet to tenderize the muscle fibers, ensuring it isn't rubbery.
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3
Dice the conch into small, uniform cubes, roughly 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. Place the cubed conch into a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl.
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4
Prepare your vegetables: dice the white onion, green bell pepper, and celery into pieces that match the size of the conch for a consistent texture.
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5
Seed the Roma tomatoes before dicing to prevent the salad from becoming too watery. Add them to the bowl with the conch.
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6
Add the finely diced cucumber and minced goat pepper. Use gloves when handling the goat pepper to avoid skin irritation.
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7
Squeeze the fresh limes and sour oranges directly over the mixture. The citrus juice is what 'cooks' the conch and brings the flavors together.
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8
Sprinkle the sea salt and black pepper over the salad. Bahamians often use a generous amount of salt to balance the high acidity of the citrus.
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9
Toss all the ingredients together thoroughly with a large spoon, ensuring every piece of conch is submerged in the juice.
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10
Taste a piece of conch. It should be bright and zesty. Adjust the heat by adding more goat pepper if you prefer a 'scorched' style salad.
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11
Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes. Unlike fish ceviche, conch is very dense and benefits from a short marination to soften slightly.
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12
Give the salad one final toss and serve immediately in chilled bowls or even a decorative conch shell for an authentic presentation.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use the freshest conch possible; if it doesn't smell like the clean ocean, don't use it. If you cannot find sour oranges, whisk together 2 parts orange juice, 1 part lime juice, and 1 part grapefruit juice. Tenderizing the conch is the most skipped step, but it is essential for a pleasant, non-chewy texture. Keep all your vegetables and the conch chilled until the very moment of assembly to ensure maximum crispness. Adjust the 'heat' carefully—goat peppers are significantly spicier than jalapeños and their heat builds over time.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of extra-crispy plantain chips for dipping. Pair with a cold Kalik or Sands beer (traditional Bahamian lagers). A side of buttered 'Johnny Cake' helps cut through the acidity and spice. Enjoy as a light lunch on a hot afternoon or as a refreshing appetizer before a grilled fish dinner.