Miami's oldest black community, on the western side of Coconut Grove, was founded before the turn of the century by Bahamians. Each June the Grove hosts Goombay, a raucous celebration of Bahamian heritage that boasts whistle-blowing, drum-pounding junkanoo bands and sizzling-hot conch fritters. Scotch bonnet pepper gives these fritters a little extra sizzle, and beaten egg whites make them exceptionally light. If conch isn't available, substitute shrimp or crab, and chop it by hand, coarsely, rather than in the food processor.
1 pound conch, tenderized (see page 000)
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ Scotch bonnet pepper or 2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ cups flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 eggs, separated
½ to 3/4 cup milk
Vegetable oil
Cut the conch into chunks, and pulse it in the food process until finely ground.
Scrape the conch into a large bowl, and add the scallion, garlic, Scotch bonnet and bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and oil. Toss to mix.
Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt into the bowl, and stir to combine. Beat the egg yolks with ½ cup of the milk, and stir it into the conch mixture to form a soft dough. If it's too thick, add more milk.
Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep-fryer or an appropriate pan (see page 000).
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until the hold soft peaks. Stir about one-third of the whites into the conch mixture to lighten it, and fold in the rest.
Working in batches, spoon the batter into the hot oil by the heaping tablespoonsful. Fry, turning several times, until golden brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels with a slotted spoon, and serve hot with your favorite tartar sauce or salsa.
Variations/Substitutions: If you'd rather not deep-fry, thin the batter to the consistency of pancake batter, and pan fry it in 2- to 3-inch rounds
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