The year of the fish: Conservation Nature Center hosts free cooking event Saturday

The fragrance of cooked catfish wafted through the corridors of the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau on Saturday during a free-to-attend event celebrating “Fish Year.”

Participants watch as Missouri Department of Conservation naturalist Sindupa De Silva prepare pieces of catfish to be grilled during a cooking seminar Saturday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

In the center’s lab classroom, about 20 people were shown the correct ways to fillet, skin and prepare catfish by the hands-on teachings of Missouri Department of Conservation fisheries management biologist Salvador Mondragon and naturalist Sindupa De Silva.

As De Silva filleted and skinned the example catfish in front of the crowd, he highlighted the widespread and invasive Asian carp within Southeast Missouri, referring to it as a “pretty hot topic.”

“It was never a native species to these parts,” De Silva said. “It was introduced from elsewhere and they are taking over in terms of numbers and how far they have spread, relative to our native species.”

De Silva opens tinfoil packs of grilled catfish at the end of a cooking seminar Satuday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

The main problem Asian carp pose, he said, is they move and populate quickly. Unlike most native fish, they don’t require many resources to grow, thus resulting in Asian carp spreading into much of the Mississippi River and even into local lakes, he added.

“And now that we have [the fillets],” De Silva said, laying the skinned and filleted catfish on aluminum foil, “we’ve got to know how to cook it, right?”

Mondragon was up next, displaying his food preparation skills for cooking catfish “creatively” over an outside fire pit or campfire — which included adding peppers, jalapeños, onions, potatoes, spices or butter.

De Silva demonstrates filleting techniques during a cooking seminar Saturday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

Attendees were then asked to prepare his or her own aluminum-foiled assembly for the fire pit directly behind the nature center — the final destination for the fish before it became part of the near-lunchtime tacos and stew.

After the demonstration, De Silva said each year the nature center hosts events for a rotating theme.

“Most of our programs are related to fishing, learning about fish biology, different methods and techniques,” he said. “The year kickoff is Jan. 26.”

A catfish is seen before filleting during a cooking seminar Saturday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

And even though all “Fish Year” events at the nature center are free, he added, they do require registration so the staff can prepare accordingly.

Deklin Shannon, 13, was in attendance Saturday with his aluminum foil wrapped catfish in hand, eagerly making his way to the outdoor fire pit.

“I just wanted to learn how to cook fish and try different ways to do it,” he said.

De Silva demonstrates filleting techniques during a cooking seminar Saturday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

Sarina Webb of Cape Girardeau was outside at the fire pit — along with her son Bryce, 14, and his friend, Kolten Ritter, 14 — waiting for their catfish fillets to cook.

Kolten Ritter, 14, left, and his best friend, Bryce Webb, 14, pose for a photo during a catfish cooking seminar Saturday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

She said her family attended even though they are already aware of the correct methods of preparing catfish.

“It’s just something for us to do on a Saturday. They’re boys and I have to find ‘boy stuff’ to do,” she said. “And it’s nice today, compared to yesterday.”

A taxidermied goose is seen among pots and pans atop a cabinet in the kitchen during a cooking seminar Saturday at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape Girardeau.TYLER GRAEF

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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