Preparation time:
- 20mins
Cooking time:
- 25mins
Specialty:
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free (Optional)
- Pescatarian
In this recipe we introduced to new ingredients: Conch Shell and Ice Plant. The conch shell is a very interesting shellfish in terms of taste and consistency and it varies a lot on the preparation you use. Conch has a hint of saltiness and unlike other seafood, it doesn’t have a fishy smell. Its texture is rubbery and soft when chewed. You can eat conch raw as sushi or salad, as well as in cooked in stews or pasta sauces. Crunchy, juicy and with a gentle marine-like salinity, the ice plant is surprisingly versatile as an ingredient. You can eat it raw – the fleshy leaves are great in salads, giving the dish a nice salty crispiness; or steep it in boiling water to make tea. The hardy vegetable retains its crunch even with heat, so feel free to use it in your stir-fries. As it is mainly made of water, the ice plant is low in calories. What it is high in, though are vitamins A, B and C, mineral salts, and isoflavones – a class of phytochemicals that help protect the body against breast cancer, menopausal symptoms, heart disease and osteoporosis. In short, the ice plant makes a great addition to any diet, whether you are health conscious or not.
Ingredients (2 Servings):
- 180g of Wholewheat Spaghetti
- 1 Conch
- 16 Cherry Tomatoes
- Handful of Ice Plant
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- Extra-virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Sea Salt
Instructions:
- De-shell the conch with a knife and a spoon. Once the body is out of the shell, wash it under water and scrap the black parts. Boil the conch for 3-5 mins, let it cool down and then slice it.
- In a wok, simmer a clove of garlic with extra-virgin olive oil until it becomes golden. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and add them to the wok.
- Season with sea salt and cook with the lid at medium heat for 10mins. Once the tomatoes are fully cooked, add the conch slices and mix all together.
- Boil water in a pot. Once the water is boiling add 1 tablespoon of sea salt and then add the pasta. The pasta needs to cook for 2 mins less than the time recommended on the box to have it Al Dente.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the wok. Fully mix the pasta with the sauce.
- Plate the pasta, drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil and add the ice plant.