Antigua-Barbuda Cooking with
Chef Colleen
CARIBBEAN CONCH CHOWDER
This is considered“ Saturday Food” in Antigua & Barbuda
Photo Credit: Janie Conly-Johnson
Chef Colleen Simpson lives in Freeman’ s Village, which is located in the centre of the island of Antigua. She is a graduate of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology( SAIT), Calgary, Alberta. Chef Colleen returned to Antigua in 1998 to make her contribution to the tourism industry in the area of Culinary Arts. She landed her first job at the Blue Waters Hotel and Spa, where she worked for ten years as a Sous Chef. She taught at the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute for five years as a Chef Instructor and is now the Executive Chef for the National School Meals Programme, where a free, hot, nutritious meal is prepared for an average of four thousand primary school students.
From 2006 to 2008, Chef Colleen owned and operated a road side snackette called“ Cool Breeze” on Freeman’ s Village’ s main road. She is now the owner of Ola’ s Catering Service also located in Freeman’ s Village, and the author of a cookbook entitled“ A Likkle Bit A Dis and A Likkle Bit A Dat which is available for purchase at the Blue Waters Resort & Spa, Antigua. www. bluewaters. net
INGREDIENTS
450 g. Conch( cleaned & cooked) Reserve conch water for stock. 200 g. Potatoes( diced) 50 g. Sweet Peppers( diced) 50 g. Carrots( diced) 50 g. Onions( diced) 200 g. Butter 200 g. Flour 3 litre. Conch stock 500 mls. Heavy Cream( Double Cream) 10 g. Parsley( chopped) Salt & Pepper to taste
METHOD
In a large pot melt butter, add vegetables, sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add flour and stir constantly for about 8 minutes over medium heat. Add 1litre of conch stock and stir vigorously until mixture becomes very thick. Gradually add remaining stock, stirring vigorously after each addition. Add potatoes and conch and simmer until potatoes are al dente. Add parsley, season and stir in cream.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes
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