A Chicago fishmonger has a solution for the asian carp invasion: If you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em! But it might not be that simple. He sent carp to some of Chicago’s top chefs and they, well, struggled.
The carp are bony, bloody and apparently have a flavor that’s entirely in the eye (or tastebuds) of the beholder.
Mike Sula reported on the carp experiment for the Chicago Reader.
Some choice excerpts:
From Paul Kahan at the Publican: “After a few attempts at butchering, we were adequately creeped out and will not go any further.”
From Sean Sanders at Browntrout: “…tastewise I really don’t like it. Unless the fish is straight out of the water, it has this metallic flavor. And the texture–when it’s fully cooked it kind of has this bounce-back thing in your mouth.”
But some chefs saw potential.
Phillip Foss of Lockwood: “About as good of a freshwater fish as I’ve found, period. Very rich.”
Still, after watching the video of Foss hacking at his carp with progressively larger knives, I don’t think I’ll be catching my own carp dinner any time soon.
The river is full of fish and that is a problem? Only in America. Anywhere else in the world, that would be a blessing.
Barf.
In Eastern European countries carp are actually a delicacy. In Poland, for Christmas, they go to the market and bring the carp home then put them in their bathtubs. Then kill and fry them for the feast.
There is fish in the grocery from china. Maybe soon there will be carp in Poland from the Chicago river.
http://polandpoland.com/christmas_carp.html