Creamy Cracked Conch Chowder with Saffron, Coconut, and Oranges

Deselect All

Shellfish cream and garnish:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Scotch bonnet chile, stem and seeds discarded, minced

6 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

12 small clams, scrubbed

12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1 star anise

1 tablespoon roughly cracked black pepper

3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1 scant tablespoon saffron

1 quart heavy cream

1 cup coconut milk

Vegetable Garnish:

6 new potatoes, scrubbed and diced medium

2 ounces smoked slab bacon, rind removed

1/2 cup pure olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 poblano chile, stem and seeds discarded, minced

1/2 red onion, peeled and diced medium

2 large carrots, peeled and diced medium

1/2 bulb fennel, cored and diced medium

2 celery stalks, cleaned and diced medium

1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds discarded, diced medium

1 cup sweet corn kernels

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

2 bay leaves, broken

Conch:

3/4 pound cleaned, pounded conch

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten with 4 teaspoons half-and-half

1 1/2 cups panko crumbs (Japanese)

Canola oil, to saute the conch

Orange sections, for garnish

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Toasted coconut, for garnish