Fairgoers can taste Asian carp at the Illinois State Fair Saturday

Sean Keeley, owner and executive chef of the Ross Isaac restaurant in Springfield will prepare samples of Asian carp smoked barbecue sliders and Asian carp corn fritters Aug. 11 at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

Members of the public are invited to sample the recipes starting at 11 a.m. in Conservation World on the northwest corner of the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

The demonstration will be in a booth located near the fisheries tent.

Keeley is working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to raise awareness of the culinary uses of Asian carp, and efforts to prevent their introduction into the Great Lakes.

The project is part of DNR’s ‘Target Hunger Now!’ program. 

Program partners Feeding Illinois (formerly the Illinois Food Bank Association) and the utility Illinois American Water, who are working with DNR to build markets for Asian carp products, will be on hand.