Lambi

Ingredients

Conch

• 1 kgcleaned conch meat
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tbspsalt, for cleaning

Green seasoning

• 6spring onions
• 6garlic cloves
• a large bunch of parsley
• a bunch of thyme
• 1 bunchchives
• 2 tbspoil

Stew

• 3 tbspoil
• 2onions, chopped
• 1red pepper, chopped
• 4tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1scotch bonnet, whole and unbroken
• 1 tspground allspice
• 2bay leaves
• 500 mlwater or stock
• salt and black pepper

To finish

• juice of 1 lime
• chopped parsley

To serve

• rice and peas
• provisions such as green fig or dasheen

Directions

1. Trim off any remaining dark skin and hard orange parts. Rub the meat hard with the salt and lime juice. Rinse it thoroughly and repeat the salt and lime rub once more. Rinse it again until it no longer feels slippery. Lay each piece between sheets of cling film. Beat it firmly with a mallet or a heavy pan.
2. Work it until it has flattened and softened noticeably. Do not tear it to shreds, since it should stay in pieces. Cut the tenderised meat into bite-sized pieces. Even tenderised conch needs long cooking to soften. Put the pieces in a pot and cover them with water.
3. Boil them for an hour, or pressure cook them for twenty-five minutes. Test a piece: it should be chewy but not rubbery. Drain them and keep the cooking liquid for the stew. Put the spring onions, garlic, parsley, thyme and chives in a blender.
4. Add the oil and blend to a coarse green paste. Toss the drained conch with half the green seasoning. Let it sit for twenty minutes while you build the stew. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat.
5. Add the chopped onions and cook them for eight minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for three minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for two minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook them down for five minutes. Add the rest of the green seasoning and the allspice. Now the scotch bonnet, which needs care.
6. Add the scotch bonnet whole and unbroken. Do not pierce or chop it unless you want the dish very hot. Add the seasoned conch to the pot with the bay leaves. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid to just cover. Season with salt and black pepper.
7. Bring it to a simmer, cover it, and lower the heat. Simmer it gently for thirty minutes. Take out a piece and bite into it. It should be tender with a pleasant chew, like a good squid.
8. Take the lid off and let the liquid reduce for ten minutes. It should thicken to a sauce that coats the pieces. Remove the scotch bonnet and the bay leaves. Squeeze the lime juice over and stir it through. Taste it and adjust the salt at the end. Scatter chopped parsley over the top. Serve it hot with rice and peas and boiled provisions.

Technique

• Queen conch is CITES Appendix II with closed seasons and size limits; buy from a licensed supplier.
• Beat the meat with a mallet and then cook it long, since conch is genuinely tough.
• Add the scotch bonnet whole and unbroken for aroma without full heat.

Substitutions

• Squid or whelk, which are prepared similarly, if conch is unavailable.
• A pressure cooker to shorten the first cooking considerably.

Variations

• Curried lambi, with curry powder in place of allspice.
• Lambi souse, served cold in a lime and onion dressing.
• Grilled after the first boiling, which some cooks prefer.

History

Queen conch stewed or curried; the fishery is regulated regionally after decades of heavy harvesting across the Caribbean.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lambi?

Lambi is a main from Saint Lucia: conch stewed in creole seasoning. Queen conch stewed or curried; the fishery is regulated regionally after decades of heavy harvesting across the Caribbean.

How long does Lambi take to make?

Lambi takes 40 min of preparation and 1 hour 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Lambi?

Yes, within limits. Squid or whelk, which are prepared similarly, if conch is unavailable. A pressure cooker to shorten the first cooking considerably.

What is the most important thing to get right in Lambi?

Work it until it has flattened and softened noticeably. Do not tear it to shreds, since it should stay in pieces. Cut the tenderised meat into bite-sized pieces. Even tenderised conch needs long cooking to soften. Put the pieces in a pot and cover them with water.