Conch Fritters
Crisp, golden conch fritters with a tender center, finely diced vegetables, and a balanced cornmeal batter.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb cleaned conch meat very finely chopped
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal finely ground
- 2 tsp baking powder fresh
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more for finishing
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 1/4 cup bell pepper finely diced
- 2 tbsp yellow onion finely diced
- 2 tbsp celery finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/2 cup whole milk plus more as needed
- 2 qt vegetable oil for frying
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 2 fresh limes cut into wedges
Instructions
- Pat the conch dry. If it is especially firm, pound it lightly to tenderize, then chop it very finely by hand or pulse it briefly in a food processor.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- In a large bowl, combine the conch, bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic, egg, and milk. Fold in the dry ingredients just until combined. The batter should be thick but fall cleanly from the scoop; add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Rest the batter for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F.
- Working in small batches, drop level-tablespoon portions of batter into the oil. Fry, turning once, until deeply golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the fritters to a wire rack set over a sheet pan and season lightly with salt. Return the oil to 350°F between batches.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges and citrus remoulade.
Notes
The batter should hold its shape briefly before falling from the scoop. If it spreads immediately, fold in 1 tablespoon flour; if it feels stiff or dry, add 1 tablespoon milk. Fry one test fritter before the first full batch and adjust the seasoning and consistency as needed.