Julia Child in The Bahamas...The Lionfish Cookbook Challenge

 The tea calender of last year is over, the teas were lovely and so was a Chirstmas break in America.  Now, for 2013 the new teatime scientist challenge is here.  This time involving more people, not just me.

The Cape Eleuthera Institute had a special visitor.  Lad Akins from the REEF organisation was busy conducting Lionfish research with the team here on The Island, he is also one of the Lionfish Cookbook's Authors.  I was quite excited about this as I like the idea of a Lionfish cookbook, and so over Christmas drinks at the end of last year, I said I would cook and blog through all the recipes in the book.  A slightly different variation on the Julia Child one, but still, could be interesting.

Then, a cookbook appeared, and now it is the new year and the cooking can begin.  At the time, I hadn't seen the book, and didn't know how many or what recipes where in there, there are a surprisingly large number or recipes to go through!

Lionfish are invasive to the North Atlantic and Caribbean, they are basically not supposed to be here.  This invasion has happened very quickly as they have no known natural predators. They eat local fish and are damaging local ecosystems.  As a new fish, that tastes good and shouldn't be here, it is a very good fish to eat!

photo source: www.floridasportsman.com/2012/06/18/cash-and-prizes-for-bagging-lionfish/

 This is the book, 45 yummy sounding recipes, all with lovely pictures so you know what its supposed to look like.  Recipes have been put together by Tricia Ferguson, a personal chef on Harbour Island, Eleuthera.  With flavours like mango, coconut, avacado and Thai seasonings, this book sounds amazing.

 So, every weekend we will be catching and cooking up Lionfish, a different recipe every week, and will let you know how we go!

If you want to purchase your own Lionfish Cookbook and cook along, the are for sale at www.reef.org/catalog/cookbook  "Proceeds from the sale of this book will support REEF's marine conservation and lionfish research activities".