Serves: 4

• Ingredients

2 large conchs, cleaned
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 lime

1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
pepper sauce or red pepper flakes to taste
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
7 cups water

• preparation

Tenderize the conch to 1/8-inch thickness, using a meat mallet.
Place the conch in a pot of water. The water should just cover the conch. Boil for 20-30 minutes.
In a large pot, add the oil and allow to heat up for a minute.
Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Let the roux simmer for about 5 minutes. Don't let the roux burn!
Add the tomatoes, onions, thyme, pepper sauce/red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for a minute or two.
Add the potatoes, tomato paste. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the conch out of the water and cut it into small chunks.
Add the water, conch and the juice of 1 lime to the large pot.
Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

FILLING
1/3 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into pea-size pieces (4-1/2 ounces total)
1/4 pound ground pork, fattier kind preferred, coarsely chopped to loosen
1 scallion (white and green parts), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch of black or white pepper

48 small square wonton skins
Canola or peanut oil, for deep-frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce

• preparation

1. To make the filling, combine the shrimp, pork, scallion, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl and use chopsticks or a fork to mix well. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes before using, or refrigerate for up to a day in advance. You should have about 1 cup.
2. Before assembling the wontons, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with cornstarch. Fill each wonton skin with about 1 teaspoon of the filling, creating triangles or nurse's caps (see below). As you work, put the finished wontons on the prepared baking sheet. When all are made, loosely cover with a kitchen towel to prevent drying. The wontons also can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; let them sit at room temperature to remove the chill before frying.
3. Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place next to the stove. Pour oil to a depth of 1-1/2 inches into a wok, deep skillet, or 5-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to about 325°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
4. Working in batches of 4 to 6, slide the wontons into the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Use a skimmer to transfer to the rack to drain.
5. Arrange the wontons on a platter and serve hot as finger food along with Sweet and Sour Sauce for dipping.

To shape triangles: 1) Fill the skin and wet the edges with a chopstick. 2) Fold the skin into a triangle an press firmly with your fingers to seal.

To shape nurse's caps: 1) Bring the lower edge of the filled skin up to meet the upper edge, forming a rectangle. 2) Bring together the two corners of the folded edge, overlapping slightly, and press to seal.