Instructions: Saute bacon until soft-cooked; add green peppers and onion to skillet and saute to al dente stage. Place in a large pot and add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, clam juice, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, potatoes, jalapeno, hot sauce, and conch. Bring to a low boil for 15 minutes, then simmer for 1 hour. To hold until serving time, cool to room temp- erature and refrigerate.

NOTE: At McTs, the diced conch meat is marinated overnight in papaya juice to tenderize it. The papaya juice can be rinsed off with a little left in to give a slight sweet flavor to the chowder.

NOTE: The resaurant
uses Pico Pica hot sauce, usually only available to the trade, but La Victoria hot salsa, which is more available, may be substituted, Buchholz says.

FL. General Manager Ron Buchholz figured out a home-size version of McTs Conch Chowder. Recipe supplied by Lillian Austin, former Food Editor of the Ft. Myers News Press from a cookbook she had.

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