The solution to some invasive species (or at least a large dent in their armor and numbers) may be right under our noses. Literally. Why not combat invaders with the one thing all of us do universally well as a species?
Eat them.
Inspired by the Science Channel's "Is This A Good Idea?" entitled "Should we get rid of invasive species by eating them?", this article will provide a little background, followed by some links to those that have dared to eat foods most people just make faces at.
To start out with, anyone with recipes should feel free to include the link in your commentary below. Likewise, if you have the opportunity to try any of these - whether tried and true or new and experimental, please let others know by posting your "review" of the recipe as well.
The EPA Invasive Species web site has information about the various threats. Fish species that have invaded our Great Lakes waterways include the round goby, sea lamprey, Eurasian ruffe, alewife, Asian carp, and various mussels and mollusks including the zebra mussles. We will leave off the spiny water flea as a dining delicacy for now although "were there is a will, there is a way" comes to mind.
Invasive plants species that have threatened our region include the common reed, reed canary grass, purple loosestrife, curly pondweed, Euasian milfoil, frogbit, and cattails. And kudzu is everywhere.
The key reasons these species thrive and threaten natural and native species is their ability to
- adapt
- eat wide varieties of the most readily available food source
- get what they need before their competitor does
The suggestion is that we do the same. Most of these invaders are in fact edible - it's just a question of how they are cooked and convincing ourselves that they are a viable source of good nourishing food.
Links to some recipes along with the general "taste test" findings (some old, some new) by invader. As with any new food, the potential for allergies does exist so be cautious.
From Wikipedia: "The pearly white flesh - complicated by a series of bones - is said to taste like cod or described as tasting like a cross between scallops and crabmeat. They are low in mercury because they don’t eat other fish." The consensus is that most North Americans confuse the Asian and the Grass (or bottom-feeding pond) carp. The two apparently are completely different in taste.
Comments from the recipes below (when people don't KNOW they are eating Asian carp) are generally that they like it better than tuna. Perhaps this could be a solution to the overfishing of tuna.
Illinois Periodicals Online "Bones of Contention" by P.J. Perea. Synopsis: Smoked, fried, and as a "carp salad" (ala tuna salad). Originally published in Outdoors Illinois in 2002.
Fried, poached, Jamaican jerk, or smoked -try Asian Carp Recipes.
Are carp cakes, carp sausage, or carp tacos more your speed? The Bowfishing Association of Illinois has some interesting recipes for you then.
From the Watertown Daily Times: “They said there was a touch of sweetness and the meat was a little lighter (than perch),” Mr. Paul Beers said. Mr. Beer's cooking techniques are included in the article, but he basically fried perch and round goby the same way.
Suggestions for Round Goby range from "any recipe calling for smelt will work" to "any recipe calling for perch will work". More than anything, this seems to relate to the size of the fish at the time of consumption.
In essence, the Goby, like the Asian Carp has been a part of the Asian diet for centuries. They can be pan fried, baked, put in a bouillabaisse, even sauteed or grilled using a variety of traditional smelt and perch recipes.
Eaten in Portugal and Spain, the sea lamprey is daunting. According to an old article from Science News Online, lamprey takes an adventurous, adventurous soul. Equating it to the first human to eat an oyster is not out of line. The sea lamprey is probably one of the more challenging invasive species to consider eating - not just because of appearance but also it's... let's call it "durability". They are just hard to kill. The recipes are at the bottom of the link, and apparently the Lamprey Stew with Garlic Mashed Potatoes is the best of them.
Another centuries old Asian food with many benefits is kudzu. Although not on the EPA Great Lakes invaders site, kudzu has invaded every location it goes to. If you live in a region that has kudzu (basically, the continental US, Asian, Italy, Australia, and even Canada now) you know kudzu. Kudzu may be the one of the easiest invasive plants to turn to our advantage. Not just as a food source but as a medical boon, animal food, possible treatment for alcoholics, aid for migraines, tinnitis, vertigo, allergies and diarehha. The Chinese consider it to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs. Additional uses in the US include soaps, lotion, and compost.
Some very diverse suggestions for recipies and cooking techniques can be found on Grandpappy's Basic Recipes. Included are recipes for leafs, flower blossoms, even wine and tea.
Kudzu can also be used in jellies, deep fried, in a quiche, or like grape leaves as discussed on SouthernAngel.com's kudzu recipes.
A cautionary note that there may be some health risks associate with eating some of these species. As with most fish or wild things you should read up on any health risks before consuming. A common sense good rule of thumb to start with for fish is to eat only fish that you know were alive and acting normally. For plants, check for any "hangers on" like spiders and bees or wild life that may be in the area. Avoid picking plants in areas that are close to roads and highways or equipment, or that are sprayed with chemicals like herbicides and pesticides.
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