Seafood cookery from Carteret County kitchens

CONCH STEW 1 quart conchs, cleaned and beaten 2 or 3 young green onions (tops 1% quarts water and roots) 2 teaspoons salt 1 slice salt pork, diced or 3 or 4 cups white potatoes, 1 tablespoon bacon drippings, or cut in chunks 2 slices bacon, diced Put conchs and water in a gallon pot and bring to boil. If salt pork is used, add it and turn heat down, cooking slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until tender. Take conchs out of water and cut in small pieces. Replace in water and add salt and pepper. Add potatoes, onions, and bacon or bacon drippings (if you did not use pork). Cook about 15 minutes. Make 5 or 6 small corn meal dumplings and place in pot. Continue cooking for 20 minutes. Serve hot. (You may prefer baked cornbread: instead of corn meal dumplings.) Mrs. Milton Piner Crab Point H. D. Club CONCHS Clean conchs. Lay on board and beat. Do not cut. Fry out 4 or 5 slices of salt fat pork. Put conchs into pork drippings and cover with hot water. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 2 hours, keeping conch covered with hot water (add as necessary). About 10 minutes before conchs are tender and done, add cornmeal dumplings around side of pot. Make dumplings from 1 cup meal, 3 or 4 tablespoons plain flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and % teaspoon baking powder. The dumplings will thicken gravy. Cook down to a thick gravy and serve hot. Mrs. Milton Taylor Harkers Island H. D. Club STEWED CONCHS 1 quart conchs 1% pints water 4 tablespoons salt pork drippings — black pepper and salt to taste The best method of preparing conchs is to freeze in shell for 24 hours or more, then thaw completely. Conchs are easily removed from shell after freezing and thawing. Or, conchs can be broken with a hammer. Remove all the black coating with a stiff brush or a knife. Then cut away everything except the white meat. Beat thoroughly with a meat mallet or hammer to tenderize. Place in warm water with drippings and cook slowly for 1% hours. Add salt and pepper and continue cooking one hour or until conchs are tender. Thicken with 1 tablespoon flour paste. Serve hot with baked cornbread or muffins. Makes four large servings. Mrs. H. O. Phillips Crab Point H. D. Club CONCH STEW 6 conchs 1 cup water 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons fat (salt pork or bacon drippings Combine these ingredients in a pot and cook until tender. Add more water if necessary, but conch broth should be thick. Corn dumplings are very tasty and may be added atop the stew. Mrs. Fannie Nichols Sound View H. D. Club CONCH FRITTERS 1 pound conch Y2 teaspoon salt, plain or garlic egg 1 teaspoon celery seed 1/3 cup milk 1 tablespoon minced onion, more 2 teaspoons baking powder if desired 2 green peppers, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Grind conchs in food chopper, using coarse blade. Beat egg, and add milk. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture. Add chopped conchs, celery seed, onion, chopped peppers, hot pepper sauce. Drop by half-teaspoonfuls into hot fat. Brown on all sides. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce for dunking. Makes about 3 dozen bite-size fritters. Mrs. Warren L. Styron CONCH CHOWDER 17 medium conchs or 1% 1 large onion, cut up quarts conchs 1/3 cup corn meal (bolted) 4 cups water 1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons salt 2 medium potatoes, diced 1/2 teaspoon pepper