Lambi Creole (stewed conch)

I am writing these few lines with a smile that stretches to my ears! I’ve missed writing here and it took me a while to come back. (yet again! My sincere apologies).
See, this post was written months ago. However, because I have this preference of cooking before I write, I’ve been holding off on publishing it.
Lambi can be expensive. A pound cost me $10.46 so I was holding off on cooking it. Or maybe it was  just pure laziness. Also, I’m pretty sad for having lost the files to my logo.
So I have to use a temporary one before I fix this situation.
With a little push (more like a big push lol) from my beloved sister Sybille who’s visiting, I’ve finally gathered myself to cook a laid back dinner for the household. It would be a shame if I let her leave without spoiling her with a little something she was craving.
Au menu: lambi, tassot boeuf (deep fried beef), bannann peze (plantains) and pikliz !!!
So here we go…

Haiti is an island (duh!)

One that is surrounded by water- again, duh! (at the exception of the East side of course).
So it’s needless to say that seafood is one of the easiest things to find and eat on the island – triple duh!. The habitants of Haiti are very familiar with the various and delectable ways of cooking the seafood dishes.
Today we’ll be cooking Lambi which is known in English as conch.

There are many ways to cook Lambi. Fried, sauteed, bbq’d, stewed.
This recipe is about stewed Lambi. Basic!

When I was reading this recipe, it amazed me to find out how easy it was to cook lambi!
I mean, I thought some magic happened in the kitchen when my family’s cook would bring it to the table. I would look at her as if she was a GOD.
But now, I’m sorry Jessie (that was her name), I guess you were as regular as I was.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of lambis (serves 4)
• 2 cups of cut tomatoes
• 1 cup of cut onions
• 1 cup of red and green bell peppers
• 2 tbsp of  ground garlic
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of citrus juice
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
• 2 tbsps of Maitre d ‘ Hotel oil
• 1/2 cup of bitter orange juice

Directions

1. After cleaning your lambi, cut into medium-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, garlic and bitter orange juice.
2. Leave it to marinate for about 30mns inside of your refrigerator or overnight for best results.
3. When you’re ready to cook, sauté the tomatoes, bell peppers and onions in your Maitre d’ Hotel oil .
4. Add the seasoned lambi to the sautéed tomato mix. The mixture will start releasing its own juice. Use that liquid to water your lambi.
5. Bring the lambi to a boil in a pressure cooker and cook for an hour. (for that step, add enough water to cover your lambi.
6. Once your lambi is practically cooked , add the herbs, citrus juice and scotch bonnet pepper.

N.B. After seasoning the lambi, feel free to taste the mixture from time to time. Remember when I said that us Haitians use our tastebuds to measure our ingredients? We all have our preferences when it comes to spices and taste. So feel free to adjust the recipe as you please.

P.S. I do not own a pressure cooker. Lambi can be very rubbery and in order for it to be tender, it’s ideal to cook it with the pressure cooker. (Pounding with a meat mallet works too)
So, I let mine simmer for about 3 hours (yup! imagine that). It was still a little rubbery but a bit tender and very delicious! The family enjoyed it!

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