A forthcoming Cayman Culinary Month event is not only aiming to highlight some delicious epicurean delights, but also hopes to educate participants on Cayman’s delicate eco-system.
On Thursday, 19 January, Cobalt Coast Dive Resort in conjunction with Divetech will host a lionfish hunt, preparation demo and tasting.
The event will include an educational briefing on lionfish, followed by a one-tank dive to catch the fish. Following this, there will be a demonstration on how to safely handle and prepare the invasive species, including how to remove the venomous spines and dispose of them, as well as filet the fish in preparation for cooking. This will be followed by freshly prepared appetizer tidbits paired with white wine, all in Caribbean style.
Unprecedented invasion
Dora Valdez, assistant manager at Cobalt Coast and avid diver and underwater photographer, said she hopes the event will highlight the importance of tackling the lionfish to protect Cayman’s reef and indigenous marine life.
“We have an unprecedented invasion in our marine world and humans are the only predator at this time. Without the help of lionfish cullers to catch and consumers to ask for the fish at restaurants and grocery stores, we cannot create the demand to push this species to the top of the want list.”
On the tasting menu will be fish tea made with local seasonings, Caybrew battered fish and chips served with tartar sauce, ceviche paired with a tomato salsa and Moroccan spiced pan-fried filet with couscous. The menu, which will be prepared by Chef Ajay Thakur and Chef Joe Thomas of Cobalt Coast, aims to highlight the vast ways in which the tasty fish can be prepared and enjoyed.
Native to the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean, the lionfish is said to have been accidentally released in the Carolinas and for the past several years has been invading the waters off the Florida Keys and Cayman Islands. With no known native predators, lionfish prey on the fish that maintain the health of the island’s reefs. The fish is equipped with a venomous dorsal spine, which deters predators and can cause painful wounds to humans.
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