Couch Soup Recipe

The somewhat rubbery flesh of this large mollusc, whose beautiful shell is sold too tourists along the north coast, is put to good use in this excellent soup.

Ingredients
2 lbs couch meat
1 lime
10-12 cups water
1 cho cho (diced)
3 Irish potatoes (peeled and cut in small pieces)
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 stalks escallion (crushed)
1 whole hot pepper
3 slices hot pepper
salt
black pepper

Directions
Wash the couch meat thoroughly to get rid of all sand and grit.
Cut and squeeze the lime juice over the meat and rub it in with your fingers.
Cut the meat into small cubes and put it to boil in water until tender (approximately 2 hrs).
When the meat is cooked, add the cho cho, Irish potatoes, thyme, escallion, whole hot pepper and sliced hot pepper.
Add salt to taste and a little black pepper.
Bring the soup to the boil again, then turn down the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Before serving remove the whole pepper without crushing it.

Serves: 4-5