Cream of Asparagus Soup with Boll Weevil Croutons
1/2 pound boll weevil larvae, roasted
1 pound zucchini, diced
21/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons butter
Salt, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can condensed cream of asparagus soup
Pepper, to taste
Monterey jack cheese, grated
Sour cream, to taste
Place the larvae in a skillet and cook over medium heat until dry and crisp. Set aside.
Place the zucchini in salted water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and onion and purée the zucchini along with the cooking water.
Melt the butter in a large soup pot and add the purée. Stir in the can of asparagus soup and the black pepper and cook for three minutes. Add the stock and cook a few minutes longer. Allow people to garnish their own soups with sour cream, cheese, and the roasted larvae.
“Metzolli” is the Nahuatl word for the stem of the agave, where the larvae of the agave billbug can be found. Boll weevil larvae can be substituted.
1/2 pound agave billbug larvae, roasted
41/4 cups chicken or beef broth
6 avocados, peeled and cut into pieces
1 cup cream
4 ounces cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Place the larvae in a skillet and cook over medium heat until dry and crisp. In a soup pot, heat the broth to boiling. In a separate mixing bowl, mash the avocado and mix in the cream and cream cheese until well blended. Whip until fluffy. Stir whipped mixture into boiling broth. Lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with roasted larvae to give this dish its singular flavor.