Ben Sargents Bahamian Seafood Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds conch (see Note)
• pounded to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1 large Spanish onion
• halved and thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 red bell peppers
• diced
• 2 green bell peppers
• diced
• 3 tablespoons Jamaican curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Pinch of sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 3 cups fish stock (see Sources
• page 269)
• bottled clam juice
• or vegetable stock
• 1 (28.5-ounce) can peeled tomatoes
• crushed by hand
• with juices
• 2 (13-ounce) cans coconut milk
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut
• such as Coco Lopez
• 3 pounds russet or other baking potatoes
• peeled and diced
• 3 large carrots
• peeled and diced
• 2 large green plantains
• peeled
• quartered lengthwise
• and diced
• 2 yellow plantains
• peeled
• halved lengthwise
• and diced
• 1 pound firm-fleshed white fish
• such as mahimahi
• cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Hot sauce
• for serving

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
2. Add the conch and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the red and green bell peppers and cook until soft, about 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the curry powder, cayenne, paprika, bay leaf, and salt to taste, and cook until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
5. Stir in the heavy cream, fish stock, tomatoes and their juices, coconut milk, cream of coconut, potatoes, carrots, and green and yellow plantains.
6. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the conch and green plantains are tender, about 1 hour.
7. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the mahimahi and parsley, and simmer until the fish is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
9. Discard the bay leaf, and serve with hot sauce on the side.