Conch Rolls Recipes

CONCH TEMPURA ROLL WITH DIRTY FRIED RICE AND GOAT PEPPER AIOLI

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil, and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic, ginger, and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft and browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the thyme, paprika, and goat peppers, and stir to mix. Mix in the pork, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the soy sauce and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the peas, and rice and toss thoroughly until heated through. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and let cool.
• Arrange a sheet of the nori, shiny side down, on a rolling mat. Have a small bowl of water handy. Place the scored side of the conch on the bottom half of the nori sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Fill with the rice, and then roll. Wet the edge, and press the mat to seal. Repeat with the remaining nori, conch, and rice. Allow the maki to rest, seam side down, for 2 minutes.
• Fill a fryer or heavy medium pot 1/3 full with the oil and heat over high heat to 425 degrees. Place the flour in a medium bowl and slowly whisk in the ginger beer. Pour in enough club soda so that the mixture resembles a light pancake batter.
• Dip the rolls in the batter and fry all at once, turning as necessary, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the rolls with a mesh spoon and drain on paper towels. Season, to taste, with the salt and pepper.
• With a sharp knife, slice each roll in 1/2. Cut 1 half straight across, and cut the other half diagonally into 2 pieces. With a spoon, drizzle the aioli onto the plates in a zigzag pattern, and arrange the rolls over, and serve.
• In a food processor, combine the peppers, garlic, and mustard, and process. With the machine running, add the oil slowly, until the mixture emulsifies. Add the oil more quickly, until the mixture is mayonnaise-like. Add the lime juice, and adjust the seasons with salt and pepper.

CONCH SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling water, cook conch for 1 hour. Using a meat grinder, grind finely. In a large bowl, combine conch, peppers, onions, capers, chopped cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Wrap small amounts of the conch mixture in the spring roll skins, roll, and brush on the beaten egg with a pastry brush to seal the rolls.
• Add oil to a depth of 3 inches in a large pot and heat to 375 degrees F. Carefully add the spring rolls to the hot oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, or until the rolls float to the surface of the oil. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with the Orange "Sofrito" Sauce.
• To a medium saucepan, add orange juice and bring to a simmer. Add rice vinegar, sugar, and sofrito. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and water together and add slowly add to pan, whisking to blend. Let simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes and then remove from heat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Serve chilled with the spring rolls.
• In a blender, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth.

CONCHAS (MEXICAN SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and warm water. Mix in the milk, 3/8 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, salt, egg and half of the flour. Gradually mix in the remaining flour, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Turn the dough out onto a floured counter to knead as soon as it pulls together enough.
• Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a large greased bowl, and turn the dough to coat. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Make the topping while the dough rises. In a medium bowl, beat 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour until the mixture is the consistency of thick paste. Divide into two parts, and place one part in a separate bowl. Mix cinnamon into one half, and vanilla into the other half.
• When the dough is done rising, cut into 12 even-sized pieces. Shape into balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart. Divide each bowl of topping into 6 balls, and pat flat. Place circles of topping on top of the dough balls patting down lightly. Use a knife to cut grooves in the topping like a clam shell. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

CONCH SCALOPPINI

Steps:

• Fillet the conch meat on a cutting board to create flat 12 to 15 (1/4 to 1/2-inch) fillets - the thinner the better without breaking. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap and pound the meat with a mallet to flatten, doubling the width. Put the conch meat in a shallow dish and add the buttermilk and Cajun spice, tossing to make sure the conch is evenly coated. Let marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the conch from the marinade, pat dry with a paper towel and dredge in seasoned flour.
• In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil and when the oil is hot add the floured conch, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove the conch to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
• To the saute pan add the remaining grapeseed oil. Add the olives, garlic, tomatoes, capers and thyme, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove the olive mixture from the pan and pour over the conch. Return the pan to medium heat. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, then add the stock, basil, lemon juice and parsley. Cook to reduce by 2/3 volume and swirl in the butter. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with warmed bread.

CONCHAS (MEXICAN SWEET-TOPPED BUNS)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.
• Stir in milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour.
• Beat until smooth.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
• The dough is ready if it leaves an indentation when touched.
• Meanwhile, prepare Flavored Topping Dough.
• Punch dough down; divide into 12 equal pieces.
• Shape each piece into a ball; place on greased cookie sheet.
• Flavored Topping Dough.
• Beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy.
• Stir in flour until mixture is the consistency of thick paste.
• Divide into 3 equal parts.
• Stir cinnamon into one part, vanilla extract into one part and orange peel into one part.
• Divide each part of dough into 4 equal pieces.
• Pat each piece into a 3-inch circle.
• Place 1 circle of Topping Dough on each ball of dough, shaping it down over the ball.
• Make 5 or 6 cuts across the topping, using a table knife, to form a shell pattern.
• Cover and let rise until double - about 40 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 celsius).
• Bake buns until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

CONCHAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon and 2 cups flour. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter to 120° -130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat on high 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough (dough will be sticky). Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, to make streusel, in a large bowl, beat butter, flour, sugar and vanilla until combined. Divide in half. Mix chocolate into 1 half; set aside. Punch down dough. Divide dough into 12 portions; form each into a 3-in. oval. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. In a small bowl, whisk egg with milk; brush over dough. Divide plain streusel into 6 portions; roll each into a 3-in. circle. Place over half the rolls. Repeat with chocolate streusel and remaining rolls. Using a sharp knife, cut through streusel on top of rolls to resemble a clamshell. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Brush rolls with remaining egg wash. Bake until tops are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

CONCHAS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix on the lowest speed to combine without the flour splattering out of the bowl, about 20 seconds. (If needed, use a spatula to push the flour mixture toward the hook.) Raise speed to medium-high and mix until the dough slaps and pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to form a smooth, elastic ball around the hook, 10 to 15 minutes. Stay close to your mixer because it will start jumping all over your counter.
• Reduce speed to low and add the butter gradually, in 3 to 4 additions. Once all butter is added, increase speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the dough is again pulling away from the sides of the bowl, loudly slapping it and gathering into a very soft, elastic, silky and shiny mass that hugs the dough hook, 8 to 12 minutes. Again, stay close to your mixer because it will jump. The moment you stop beating the dough, it will relax into the bowl again.
• Transfer the dough to a large buttered bowl. To activate the gluten further, stretch and fold the dough: Using one or both of your hands, reach down between the greased side of the bowl and the dough, and lift the dough up out of the bowl and fold the dough over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the process three more times. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place it in the refrigerator for the first rise and let it chill anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours.
• Cover three 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Cover a small area of your countertop with a light layer of flour. Bring the dough out of the refrigerator and, using your hands or a bench scraper, cut it into 15 pieces, each about 76 grams, which is about a ⅓-cup scoop. One by one, pat each piece of dough into a flat shape on the floured surface, then draw the edges into the center, working your way around, pinching the dough together into the center of what should now be a ball. Turn the ball over, cup it with your hand and move it in circles, rolling it over the counter for a few seconds to make a neater round. Repeat with the remaining conchas and place 5 equally spaced balls on each of the 3 prepared baking sheets. Make sure there is a bit of flour on the counter before pressing each piece of dough, as the dough is very sticky.
• Make your preferred topping (see Tip): Combine all the ingredients for the selected topping flavor in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients begin to combine, about 20 to 30 seconds. Raise the speed to medium and mix to form a glossy and smooth mixture, about 2 minutes.
• Fill a small bowl halfway with warm water to wet your hands while you work to divide and shape the topping. Portion the topping with a soup spoon to create 15 portions that are about 30 grams each. Wet your hands thoroughly and roll one portion of the topping into a ball. Set the ball in one palm and, using the other hand, pat it out into a 3½-inch round, as if you were patting a thick tortilla. (The topping is very sticky and soft, like a thick frosting, so you should moisten your hands as needed.) Place the round disk over a concha and slide your fingers around the edges of the topping, pressing it lightly around the rim to gently adhere to the bun. The topping should not go all the way down to the parchment paper, but be at least about ¼ inch from it. Repeat to top the remaining conchas, keeping your hands wet throughout.
• To make a shell pattern, dip a concha mold into flour to coat and very gently press the mold on the topping from one side to the other in a rolling motion, doing so swiftly and with determination as you move from side to side. (Dipping the mold in flour prevents it from sticking to the topping and prevents the topping from peeling away from the dough.) The mold should make a shell-shaped mark on the concha topping, merely indenting it without breaking through to the dough. If you don't have a concha mold, you can make the shape with a dinner knife by dipping it in flour and marking each concha with curves, lines or squares, but avoiding piercing through to the dough.
• Cover the conchas with clean kitchen towels and set in a warm, draft-free area of your kitchen until they puff considerably, anywhere from 1½ to 2 hours. (They don't need to double in size.) At this point, the shaped toppings may have spread slightly, opening a bit more into the indented shapes.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the conchas until golden brown and even more puffed, about 20 to 22 minutes. (If all three sheet pans don't fit in the oven at once, you can simply bake the third batch after you've baked the first two.) Remove from the oven.
• Let rest for a few minutes before serving. Conchas are best the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.