Overview:
You know you’ve reached the top of your culinary game when you invent a cuisine. Jade Mountain’s Chef Allen Susser took the lush and exotic ingredients growing right outside his kitchen and created “Jade Cuisine.” While the menu of a master chef is usually out of reach, we reconstructed a few of Chef Susser’s blissful dishes in this issue of Galavante. However, we wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go to Jade Mountain yourself and sample the real deal. Here are our adapted recipes, inspired by recipes around the web. Now, we focus on conch fritters:
Conch Fritters Recipe:
There’s something about lying on the beach and taking the sun that evokes a strong urge for fried fish. Light, airy, and crisp, these conch fritters are similar in texture to a clam cake.
Serves 8–10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small Spanish onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups conch meat, steamed and diced
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
One teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
A half teaspoon of Kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet and add onion and pepper. Cook until soft, then add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in conch meat and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking soda, cayenne, paprika, and salt. Stir in egg, milk, and conch meat until a thick batter forms. In a deep skillet or fryer, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter, one at a time, into the oil and cook until golden-brown, about 3 minutes, turning often. Drain and serve your conch fritters hot with a spicy dipping sauce (recipe below).
Spicy Dipping Sauce
Pair your conch fritters with a tasty, spicy dipping sauce for some flavor.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Dash of hot sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons chives, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Season to taste and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
