VIRGIN ISLANDS CRUCIAN SOUSE RECIPE
BY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS PREPARED BY EXTENSION HOME ECONOMICS STAFF:
Cold Conch Saladby Carol M. BareutherThe Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) is a prized marine creature both for its beautiful shell and its sweet meat.
While conch is truly one of the island9;s seafood delicacies, if it is not carefully prepared it can be tough and tasteless.
Here is a good way, although a bit time consuming, to prepare conch for this delicious salad.
Yield: 24 servings
* Ingredients:d
* 1 pig's head
* 1 pig's tail
* 2 stalks celery
* 2 sprigs parsley
* 4 pig's feet
* 1 medium onion
* 2-3 limes
* 1 hot pepper, sliced and Salted
Method:
Ask butcher to chop into 4 pieces. Wash and clean head, feet and tail.
Cover meat with salted water. Add onions and celery; cook until tender. Set aside to cool. Prepare a large bowl of cold, salted water.
Remove meat from bones of pig's head and discard excess fat.
Cut meat into serving pieces and place in bowl of salted water to cover meat. Let stand for one hour.
Prepare a sauce by boiling enough water to easily cover meat.
To this, add salt to taste, and slice hot pepper.
Simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add juice of 2 limes. Remove meat from salted, cold water and place in large bowl or casserole dish, draining well.
Pour prepared sauce over meat. Let cool. Garnish with sprigs of parsley.
Souse is best served at room temperature, but can be enjoyed warm or cold
Refrigerate all leftovers, and keep refrigerated until ready to use