Instructions: Recently visited the Fla. Keys. Mville was ok, but I thought the best food in the area was at Montes on Summerland Key, just a little ways back toward the mainland. Excellent conch fritters, conch chowder, softshell crab, fried fresh shrimp (giant portion!), blackened fish, etc. Very reasonable too, un-greasy (for fried food) and super friendly. Screened-in dining area. The conch fritters were so awesome that I obtained the recipe:

PROCEDURE: Rinse the conch and remove and discard the orange fin and the foot. Chop the conch in the container of a food processor. Chop the vegetables by hand so that there are crunchy pieces in the fritters. Put the chopped conch and vegetables in a bowl, add the seasonings, egg, and mix in the flour. Roll into small balls. Make the mustard sauce (see below). Bring the oil to 350 degrees. Add 1 fritter at a time, waiting a few seconds before adding the next. Fry only 5 at a time, removing and adding as they are cooked. (Cooking so few fritters at a time means that the oil is kept at a constant temperature rather than dropping a few degrees each time more food is added. This keeps the fritters crunchy rather than oil logged.) Fry for 5 minutes or until golden and light. Drain and serve with the mustard sauce.

Makes 30 fritters.

MUSTARD SAUCE: Mix the ingredients except salt & pepper. Add those gradually to taste. Enjoy!

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