Conches should be white with pink and orange. Do not buy conches that appear gray. Conches should not give off a fishy smell.
If you have collected the conches yourself, you will need to remove the meat from the shell. If the conch is difficult to remove, drill a small hole in the top of the shell to break the suction and then it should be fairly easy to pull the conch out of the main opening of the shell. Wash the conch in several changes of water. Use only the muscle of the conches for food. The digestive gland must be removed for the meat to be safe. Before you can cook conches, you must remove the operculum. The operculum is a shell-like covering that protects the conch and assists in locomotion. Cut it off with a knife. If you are not using precooked conch meat, soak the conches in salty water for several hours. Cut off any dark pieces of skin on the conchs. Tenderize the conches by pounding it with a mallet until it is smooth and the thickness you want. This may not be necessary if you choose a longer cooking method for your conches.
Chemically “cook” raw conch in a ceviche by soaking it for a few minutes in lime juice with flavoring that you enjoy. Red onions, chile peppers and cilantro are traditional seasoning choices. Bread the conches by dipping first in beaten egg and then in flour. Deep fry the breaded conchs until the flesh appears cooked. Cooking times will vary on the size of the pieces of conch meat you use. Simmer conches in stews or soups for 1 hour. Steam conches for about 5 minutes. Steamed conch is often served with vinegar.
