Calco Stoba (Aruban Conch Stew)

Calco Stoba / Aruban Conch Stew (Courtesy @suikertje | Instagram)

Calco Stoba, or conch stew, is most often associated with the nation of Aruba.  With tender conch meat, typically added at the end of the cooking process, as the central ingredient to this stoba, the light but savory base is built from tomatoes, chicken bouillon, and onions.  Think “Manhattan Clam Chowder” but with a Caribbean twist using conch meat instead of clams.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. Conch Meat
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in 1/2 cup Water
• Dash of Tabasco sauce or 1 hot pepper, minced
• 1 tbsp Maggi or Beef boullion

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Clean, peel, and pound the conch meat well with a wooden mallet. In a bowl, pour the vinegar over the conch meat and massage it in. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces.
2. In a large pot, heat the butter and then add the onion and green pepper; sauté.
3. Add the tomatoes, bouillon dissolved in water, tabasco sauce or minced hot pepper, and the maggi or beef extract. Simmer for about twenty minutes.
4. Add the conch, cover, and continue to cook until the meat is tender, about ten minutes. Season to taste.