BUG
BUG at Home? Yes, BUG at home, eat bugs, at home. Here’s a little starter guide on some of the ways you can begin incorporating insects into your diet.
Ant Egg Sushi
INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • •
Ant eggs 250g sushi rice 330ml water 4 sheets dried nori seaweed 50ml rice vinegar Half a cucumber 1 red pepper Salt Wasabi and soy sauce to serve
Also need: sushi roll mat
METHOD 1) Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear. 2) Bring the water to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. 3) Season the cooked rice with salt and rice vinegar. Set this aside. 4) Cut the pepper and cucumber into thin strips. Set this aside. 5) Prepare the ant eggs. These could be used raw, marinated or pan fried. 6) Using the sushi mat place nori the shiny side down, then using wet hands, spread rice evenly over the nori sheet. 7) Place vegetables and ant eggs on top of the rice the roll it. 8) Best to serve straight away with soy sauce and wasabi.
Insect Ramen INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
50g crickets 50g spice mealworms 125g of “00” flour 100g cricket flour 2 whole eggs 3 egg yolk 20ml olive oil 1 red chilli 1 spring onion 20g ginger 3 cloves of garlic 1 pak choi Fresh corriander Dash of Chinese cooking wine • Dash of fish sauce • 50ml soy sauce • 1 boiled egg
METHOD Pasta: 1) Place all your ingredients into a bowl or food processor, combine together and kneed. Leave to chill in the fridge for about 20 mins. 2) Using a pasta machine, roll the pasta through the second thinnest setting. Then use the tagliatelle attachment to cut the pasta into thin strips. 3) Cook the pasta in boiling water seasoned with salt for about 3 mins and then chill in icy water and set aside. Stock: 4) Combine premade chicken stock, Chinese 5 spice, garlic, ginger, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce and lime juice. Vegetables: 5) Char the bottom of a pak choi on a hot plate (if you have one, if not use a dry frying pan) keep to garnish the bowl. 6) Use the leaves of the pak Choi along with other veg. Cut all vegetables and herbs into thin strips 7) Add to the stock at the last minute before serving. Serve with pan fried meal worms and soft boiled egg.
Mealworm Hummus and Cricket Flatbread INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • •
1 clove of garlic 1tsp chilli powder 1tsp cumin 30g tahini 150ml olive oil 50g mealworms Juice of 1 lemon 100g cricket flour 200g plain flour 150ml warm water Salt & pepper
METHOD Dough: 1) Mix together cricket flour, plain flour, salt & pepper and warm water. Kneed for 10 minutes. 2) Portion into smaller balls and set aside to prove. 3) Once ready, roll it out into desired shapes and cook on the griddle or in a dry frying pan for 2/3 mins on each side. Hummus: 4) Place all ingredients into a blender and blitz. 5) Add more mealworms or chickpeas to achieve desired consistency. Garnish with tandoori spiced locusts skewers, chive oil, coriander & burnt cricket powder.
Insect Burger
METHOD
INGREDIENTS
2) Stir fry the veg mix in a little olive oil for five minutes in a heavy bottomed pan.
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
1 onion 1 stick of celery 1 medium carrot 1 small courgette 2 mushrooms 1 clove of garlic 100g breadcrumbs 50g Mealworms 50g Crickets 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp dijon mustard 2 medium free range eggs, beaten • 1tsp fresh parsley, oregano and/or thyme • 1/2 inch ginger, chopped Optional: • 1 tsp coconut husk charcoal • 1 tsp beetroot powder • 1 tsp turmeric powder • 1 tbsp pesto
1) Blitz all vegetables in a blender until chopped, not pureed.
3) Scrape the par-cooked veg into a large mixing bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs, seasoning, eggs and mustard. Return the empty pan to a low heat. 4) Put the insects into the food processor and pulse for no more than five seconds (hold back five to ten percent of the insects if you like to see whole insects in the burger). 5) Put the pulsed insects (and whole insects if using) into the vegetable mix and using your hands, combine well. 6) Using your hands press the burger mix into even sized patties with a little flour. Add any extra flavouring/colouring such as charcoal. 7) Splash a little more oil into the hot pan and fry the burgers until golden brown in colour. 8) Enjoy in a bun with extra toppings!
George Goodwill DFI 2020