There are arguments about which dish is most consultant of St. Lucia. As an island within the Caribbean, seafood is a should. Though inexperienced figs and saltfish is the official nationwide dish, Natalie Compton believes conch in sauce souskaye must also be within the working. It’s why she knew she needed to embody the recipe in her debut cookbook, Kwéyòl / Creole, co-authored by the James Beard Award-winning author Osayi Endolyn. “This dish celebrates our lovely seafood and the brilliant, earthy souskaye sauce is a incredible solution to get pleasure from conch,” she says.
For individuals who have by no means ready conch — the large sea snail with a spiral shell that doubles as a trumpet — Compton likes to deal with the ingredient much like octopus. “Conch is sort of a large clam with the feel of an octopus,” she explains. “Be affected person with it as a result of it’s value it.”
To make the souskaye, Compton’s greatest tip is seasoning in layers and tasting as you go. “Salt brings out the sweetness of the conch and likewise seasons each factor as they arrive into play,” she says. “Don’t [just] add salt on the finish.” And when you really can’t get your palms on conch on the fish monger, calamari or shrimp are additionally wonderful substitutes.
“Caribbean delicacies is having a second and I’m joyful to doc this,” Compton says. “I [want to introduce] readers to the Caribbean by my meals and [want them] to have enjoyable with all of the flavors they might or might not have skilled.”
Conch in Sauce Souskaye Recipe
1 pound conch meat (or 1 pound calamari or 1½ kilos U10-size shrimp, peeled and deveined)
1 pink bell pepper, minced
½ cup roughly chopped scallions
1 tablespoon pink chile flakes
2 teaspoons minced celery
2 teaspoons marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 limes, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon Baron West Indian Scorching Sauce
Step 1: Put together the conch. In a big stockpot, add the conch meat. Cowl with water by about 6 inches. Carry to a boil, then cut back to medium warmth and simmer for about 3 hours. To examine for doneness, use a paring knife to make an incision by the thickest a part of the conch. The conch is prepared when the meat is tender and there’s little resistance.
Step 2: Use a slotted spoon to switch it to a bowl and permit it to chill. As soon as the conch has cooled, minimize into 1-inch items and put aside. (If utilizing calamari or shrimp, convey a big stockpot of water to boil, then poach for two minutes. Use a slotted spoon to take away the calamari or shrimp and put aside.)
Step 3: For the souskaye: Place a medium saute pan over low warmth. Heat the coconut oil, after which add the pink bell pepper, scallion, pink chile flakes, garlic, celery, thyme, marjoram, and ginger. Saute and stir simply lengthy sufficient to mix the components, about 1 minute.
Step 4: Season with the salt, add the white wine vinegar, and stir to mix. Take away from the warmth. Add the conch (or calamari or shrimp), then add the lime zest and juice, parsley, and scorching sauce. Return the combination to low warmth and gently heat by for 1 minute.
Step 5: To serve: Get pleasure from straight away with the dasheen (taro) chips.
Reprinted with permission from Kwéyòl / Creole: Recipes, Tales, and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef’s Journey by Nina Compton with Osayi Endolyn copyright © 2025. Pictures by Brittany Conerly and L. Kasimu Harris. Illustrations by Fiona Compton. Printed by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random Home, LLC.
Meals images copyright © 2025 Brittany Conerly