Drink: Conch Salad Cocktail

Recipe by Kris Wessel Chef Kris Wessel of Florida Cookery in Miami Beach, Florida, shared this recipe as part of a Palm Tree Christmas menu he created exclusively for Epicurious. Conch is typically sold cooked and frozen, so to make this salad, simply de

Ingredients

3 pounds frozen, cleaned, and cooked conch
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots, peeled and minced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 4 limes, plus extra limes, cut into wedges, for serving
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Saltines or other white crackers for serving

Instructions

In a large bowl filled with cold water, thaw the conch. Drain the defrosted conch then chop the conch into roughly 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl.
In a small sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat the oil for 1 minute. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring constantly, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool.
When the oil is cool, drizzle over the conch. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeño, parsley, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: The conch salad can be prepared ahead and stored, covered in the refrigerator, up to 1 day.