Baganda Rice
A delightful alternative to traditional fried rice! Red agave worms are the larvae you find in bottles of mescal and tequila. Corn earworms make a good substitute.
1/2 pound red agave worms
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 cup sunflower oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium or 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons lemon juice
3 sprigs parsley, washed and minced
2 strips bacon
Soak the rice in very hot water for 15 minutes, without boiling. Drain, rinse with cool water, drain again, and shake the strainer to remove the water.
Heat the sunflower oil in a pan until hot. Add the drained rice and spread to “fry,” turning gently. When the rice is slightly golden, add the garlic and onion and sauté. Add the salt and parsley. Stir in the lemon juice and add enough cold water to cover. Cover the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat.
Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove and crumble, reserving the bacon fat. Fry the worms in the bacon fat until browned. Chop and serve over the rice with the crumbled bacon.
Illustration, p. 61
1/2 pound mealworms, roasted and diced
41/4 cups water
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 sprig marjoram
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 onion
1 8-ounce package spaghetti
6–8 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
Olive oil, to taste
3–4 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
10 sprigs parsley
1/2 pound purple basil
1/2 pound ricotta cheese
Put the water in a pot and heat to boiling. Add the safflower oil, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves, and the onion. Bring to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook 20 minutes. Strain the spaghetti and herbs, and rinse with cold water.
Place the butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add the drained spaghetti, salt, and pepper. Finely chop the basil, parsley, and almonds and mix with the ricotta cheese and olive oil. Add to the spaghetti mixture and heat through. Top with the mealworms and serve.
Illustration, p. 62
“Mecapales” are the acquatic larvae of predacious diving beetles. They add an exotic touch to these traditional tamales. The acquatic larvae of dobson flies, stoneflies, and damselflies are also used in Mexico.
8 ancho chilies (deveined)
5 black peppercorns, ground
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 coriander seeds, crushed
2 cumin seeds, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig marjoram
Salt, to taste
Powdered bouillon, to taste
3/5 pound predacious diving beetle larvae
1 pound tomatoes (approx. 2 large)
1/2 pound lard
21/4 pounds masa harina (corn flour)
1 large handful plantain leaves (soaked in
water ahead of time for half a day) or
corn husks
To make the salsa:
Cook the tomatoes and chilies in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove and pull the skins off. Mash together with the pepper and strain. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and fry the mashed chile mixture in the oil. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, thyme, marjoram, and the salt and bouillon and let rest for a while for the flavors to harmonize.
To make the tamales:
Heat the lard in a large pot over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the masa harina and salt to taste. Beat with a wooden spoon until dough reaches a smooth consistency. Drain the previously soaked plantain leaves and wipe with a clean, dry cloth. Spread the plantain leaves with a thin layer of dough, the chile mixture, and the larvae—in that order—on the concave part of the leaf. Fold the leaves lengthwise and horizontally and place seam-side down in a colander within a pot over 2 cups of water. Make layers of tamales and cover with the remaining leaves. Bring the water to a vigorous boil and steam for one hour, replenishing water as needed.
Ahuautle—the eggs of water boatmen and backswimmers—combine beautifully with the kind of eggs we are more familiar with to make an exquisite breakfast dish with plenty of protein to start the day off right.
6 chicken eggs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 serrano chilies, diced
1/3 pound ahuautle
3 tablespoons canola oil
salt, to taste
Put the chicken eggs in a bowl and use a fork to whisk in the onion, chilies, and ahuautle. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the egg mixture to the hot oil and cook until it has set all the way through. Fold, cut into triangles, sprinkle with salt to taste, and serve.
“Teclates” are the brood of the reproductive caste of ants in the Nahuatl tongue. They add a delicious hint of nut to this herbed omelette.
5 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1/2 tablespoon cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons onion, diced
1 tomato, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Ground coriander seed, to taste
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1/5 pound ant larvae, roasted
Slivered parmesan cheese (optional)
Red bell pepper, roasted and sliced (optional)
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, and mix in all the ingredients except the larvae, the oil, and the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the herbed vegetable–egg mixture, and cook until set. Place the larvae in the center, heat through, fold, and serve. Garnish with slivers of cheese and strips of roasted red pepper if desired.
1/2 pound black witch moth larvae, dried,
or other butterfly or moth larvae
11/2 cups swiss cheese, grated
11/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup Kirsch (cherry liquor)
1 loaf crusty bread, cubed
Heat the white wine and Kirsch in a fondue pot. Mix the cheeses together and add one handful at a time, stirring until melted. Chop the larvae and fold into the fondue. Serve the fondue along with cubed bread in a basket. Use individual fondue forks or skewers to dip the bread cubes into the fondue. Keep the cheese warm over low heat. Serve with white wine—a good Riesling is especially nice with this fondue!
Illustration, p. 63
These garlicky crickets are exquisite, with a superior flavor to shrimp. You will be delighted when you try them.
8 tablespoons butter
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
1/2 pound live crickets
1/8 teaspoon salt
Parsley, chopped, to taste
Powdered bouillon, to taste
The crickets should have one day of fasting so they will be cleansed internally. Mince the peeled garlic cloves. Place the butter in a frying pan and add the chopped garlic. When garlic is browned, add the crickets and salt and fry over low heat until crickets are slightly crunchy, approximately 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and powdered bouillon and serve with white rice.
2/3 cup olive oil
11/4 pound crickets
1 onion, diced
3 large peppercorns
1 pound fresh spinach, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 eggs
1/2 pound peeled potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons flour
8 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 cup safflower oil
To prepare the croquettes:
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the crickets until crispy. Remove the crickets and drain on a paper towel. Place the onion in the same pan of oil and sauté until golden. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper and cook until liquid is evaporated. Combine spinach and crickets in a bowl and set aside.
In a blender, liquefy one onion and the peppercorns. To this mixture add 2 eggs, the mashed potatoes, salt, and pepper, and combine. Blend in 2 teaspoons flour.
Prepare for dredging: place a cup of flour on a plate, 1 beaten egg in a small bowl, and the bread crumbs in a shallow dish. For each croquette, take a small handful of the potato mixture, shape it into a ball in the palm of your hand, and poke a hole in one side. Stuff a small spoonful or healthy pinchful of the spinach-cricket mixture into the ball’s center, and pinch the batter closed to contain the stuffing.
Heat the safflower oil in a skillet to the smoking point and reduce heat to low. Roll each croquette in flour, dip in beaten egg, and roll in the bread crumbs. Fry croquettes in heated oil, rolling with a wooden spatula until golden brown on all sides.
Salsa for Cricket Croquettes
1 onion, minced
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/3 teaspoon marjoram
1 tablespoon honey vinegar
salt, to taste
To prepare the salsa:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet, rolling them frequently, until their skins are blackened. Remove skins, mash, and strain.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion and roasted tomatoes. Add oregano and marjoram. Remove from heat and add honey vinegar and salt.
Cooking en papillote (in parchment, or foil, envelopes) is a wonderful way to seal in all the flavors of your dish and get them to harmonize. It also makes for a very festive meal, with each guest opening their own “present” at the table—which with this dish can lead to some memorable moments!
1/2 pound mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 pound grasshoppers
8 strips smoked bacon
8 pieces aluminum foil, each 1 foot square
Boil grasshoppers in salted water until they turn pink, approximately 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 300°F.
Clean the mushrooms and slice thinly. Heat half of the butter and sauté the mushrooms and the garlic for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine and stir, sprinkle with parsley, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Fry the grasshoppers until dry. Rub the remaining butter on one side of each piece of aluminum foil. Wrap the grasshoppers in the strips of bacon, add salt and pepper, and place on the buttered aluminum foil pieces. Divide the mushroom mixture among them and fold up the aluminum foil to seal tightly.
Place in the preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes. Serve still enclosed in the foil.
(Curried Grasshoppers)
Spice up your menu, increase your cultural gastronomy, lose your prejudices—these curried grasshoppers are finger licking good!
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/2 small onion
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 pound grasshoppers
Ground anise, to taste
Ground cloves, to taste
Ground curry, to taste
Ground mustard, to taste
1/8 teaspoon salt
Ground pepper, to taste
Powdered bouillon, to taste
Boil the grasshoppers in 61/2 cups of salted water until they turn pink, approximately 10 minutes. Spread on a paper towel and let dry.
Heat the peanut oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic over low heat until browned. Add the grasshoppers, the anise, cloves, curry, mustard, salt, pepper, and bouillon. Add some water and let it evaporate. Serve this curry treat hot on toast, in tacos, or with white rice. For heightened flavor, try adding young grasshoppers.
(Nutty Spiced Grasshoppers)
Pipian is a powder made from ground, toasted pumpkin seeds and other plants, and is traditional in Mexican cooking. If you cannot find it in a Latin American grocery store, it is easy to make your own. Epazote, a member of the goosefoot family, is a common Mexican herb. If you cannot find it substitute a combination of sage and oregano. The combination of these traditional ingredients with grasshoppers (in Nahuatl, “acachapoli”) makes sumptuous soft tacos.
2 scallions, cut in pieces
1/2 pound tomatillos, cut in pieces
5 radish leaves
2 leaves epazote
5 serrano chilies
1 handful parsley
5 garlic cloves, mashed
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted and ground
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted and ground
3 cumin seeds, toasted
1/2 pound grasshoppers
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bouillon
tortillas, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the grasshoppers on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
Place the scallions, tomatillos, radish leaves, epazote, serrano chilies, parsley, and garlic in a blender or food processor and liquefy.
Heat the combined oils in a frying pan. Add the ground pumpkin seeds and fry over medium heat, stirring to prevent burning. Add the ground sesame seeds and the toasted cumin seeds. Season with salt, mixing thoroughly.
Add the bouillon a little at a time, stirring, and cook until thickened. Add the roasted grasshoppers. Spoon the filling into the warmed tortillas and serve.
Illustration, p. 64
1/2 pound grasshoppers
3/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 medium onion, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch of ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
Juice of 3 lemons
1 jar mango chutney
3 cumin seeds, ground
Boil the grasshoppers in salted water until they turn pink, approximately 10 minutes. Spread on a paper towel and let dry.
Heat the oil over low heat, add the onion and garlic, and sauté. Add the grasshoppers and fry until crisp. Sprinkle with the curry, cloves, and salt. Add the lemon juice, the cumin, and finally the mango chutney.
5 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste
Bouillon, to taste
1/3 pound water boatmen, roasted
1/2 cup canola oil
Cooked artichokes, optional garnish
Seperate the egg whites from the yolks. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add salt, pepper, and bouillon. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, beating continuously. Add the roasted water boatmen.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and drop spoonfuls of the egg mixture into the oil. Fry until water boatmen are browned. Place the fritters on a platter and surround with cooked artichokes dressed with butter and pepper. Enjoy the shrimp-like taste!
Giant Water Bug Eggs in Garlic
1 cup olive oil
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and minced
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, minced
1/2 pound fresh giant water bug eggs
1 handful parsley, chopped
White pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Sauté the garlic in the hot oil until golden. Add the minced onion and the water bug eggs and sauté until golden. Add the pepper and parsley and serve hot.
1/2 pound water boatmen, dried
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tomato, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 epazote leaves, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 cup canola or olive oil
Bouillon, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Perkins sauce, to taste
Soy sauce, to taste
Seperate the egg whites from the yolks. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat, and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Mix in the water boatmen, the onion, the tomato, and the epazote. Add the salt, pepper, bouillon, a trickle of Perkins sauce, and a trickle of soy sauce.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add this mixture a spoonful at a time and fry. Remove fried tortas and cover each with salsa (see next page). Serve these delicious novelties on a platter.
Salsa for Water Boatmen Tortas
3 tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 sprig epazote, chopped
1/8 cup canola oil
Place all ingredients except the epazote and the oil in the blender and liquefy. Heat the canola oil in a frying pan and fry this mixture. Season with the epazote. Dress the tortas with the salsa.
1/2 pound ant larvae and pupae
1 stick butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Powdered anise, to taste
1 cup white wine
Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat. Fry the larvae and pupae until they turn a white, opaque color, then add salt and pepper, the anise, and white wine. Serve with bread.
The nutty flavor of the fried ant larvae and pupae mix nicely with the flavors of the tofu, vegetables, and soy sauce to make a classic Oriental dish.
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup cooked rice
1 pound ant larvae and pupae
2 tablespoons minced onion
3 tablespoons chopped jícama
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 tablespoon minced celery
2 tablespoons diced zuchini
1/2 cup diced tofu
1 egg, hard-boiled and finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt or pepper
Soy sauce, to taste
Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the rice and fry.
In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil and fry the onion, jícama, carrots, celery, zuchini, and tofu. When fried, add this vegetable mixture to the rice. Stir in the diced, cooked egg and then the raw, beaten egg, and mix thoroughly. Add the larvae and pupae, fry until sizzling, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls and add soy sauce to taste.
Pulque is a Mexican alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of the agave cactus. If you have no access to it try the recipe that follows this one instead.
1/3 pound ant larvae and pupae
2 cups pulque
dried fruits in syrup
Place the pulque and the ant larvae and pupae in a bowl and let marinate for one day. Roast until dry and serve with rounds of fresh tuna, peach, mango, or pineapple in syrup.
3 bottles good beer
Aromatic herbs, as desired, to taste (bay leaves, oregano,
thyme, marjoram)
1 pound ant larvae and pupae
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Place the beer and the aromatic herbs in a deep bowl, and allow to sit for two days at room temperature. Add the larvae and pupae and continue to marinate for one day. Serve with salt and pepper, to taste.
Accompany with toast spread with cream cheese. Delicious!
(Ant Brood Tacos)
2 tablespoons butter or peanut oil
1/2 pound ant larvae and pupae
3 serrano chiles, raw, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
Pepper, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Oregano, to taste
1 handful cilantro, chopped
Taco shells, to serve
Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan and fry the larvae and pupae. Add the chopped onion, chilies, and tomato, and season with salt. Sprinkle with the ground pepper, cumin, and oregano, to taste.
Serve in tacos and garnish with cilantro.
(Spicy Ant Brood)
Illustration, p. 65
7 guajillo or other mild chilies
10 tomatillos
2 large tomatoes
8 garlic cloves
1 small onion
1 pound ant larvae and pupae, roasted or fried
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
White pepper, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Powdered bouillon, to taste
Garnish, optional:
sautéed onion rounds
strips of guajillo chilies
sprigs of sage
Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove them and pull off skins. Devein the chilies and toast them on a grill. Place in a pot with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until soft. Add the tomatillos and cook. Put all this in a blender. Add the garlic, onion, and tomato and blend. Heat the oil in a skillet, add contents of blender, and cook. Add the pepper, salt, bouillon, and the roasted or fried ant larvae and pupae. Garnish with rounds of sautéed onion, strips of guajillo chilies, and sprigs of sage.
In the Far East, which has taken entomophagy to culinary heights, water bugs are one of the most prized of foods. Here is my own version of a dish the typical traveller might stumble across while touring the region.
1/4 onion
3 tomatoes
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 pound predacious diving beetle larvae
1 handful parsley
1 jicama, sliced in thin rounds
3 carrots, cut very fine
3 scallions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 garlic greens, chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon powdered bouillon
1/2 cup water
Salt, to taste
Place the onion, garlic, and tomato in the blender and liquefy. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the blended mixture, and fry. When it is fried, add the larvae, parsley, jícama, carrots, scallions, and garlic greens and fry for 10 minutes. Season with salt and bouillon, add water, and cook until slightly thickened.
5 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 pound dragonfly larvae
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Juice of 2 lemons
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Set the yolks aside. Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Whisk in the salt and pepper and egg yolks, one at a time, beating constantly.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Dredge the rinsed larvae in flour, dip them in the beaten egg, roll in breadcrumbs, place in the hot oil and fry briefly. Add lemon juice and serve. This is a great way to prepare almost any edible insect.
Illustration, p. 66
The larvae of various species of beetles that feed on the cellulose in tree trunks are a popular food with cultures around the world. As there are so many, I haven’t specified a particular species in this recipe, though long-horned beetles, metallic wood-boring beetles, weevils, and bessbugs are all good North American choices.
1/3 pound salted peanuts (peeled and ground)
6 garlic cloves, minced
Ground cloves, to taste
Ground cardamom, to taste
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt, to taste
11/2 cups tree trunk beetle larvae
1 handful fresh lemongrass (cut in pieces)
1 onion, or more to taste, cut in chunks
Wooden skewers
Canned pineapple in syrup, cut into pieces, optional
To make the sauce, purée the peanuts, garlic, cloves, and cardamom with the coconut milk. Add the lime juice, soy sauce, and salt to taste, mixing thoroughly.
Cut the onion into pieces suitable for skewering (try cutting onion into quarters, then cutting each piece in half again.) For each skewer, put 6 to 10 beetle larvae on a stick, interspersing with pieces of lemongrass and onion dipped in the sauce. (Pieces of pineapple in syrup can also be added to the brochettes if desired.) Place prepared skewers on a grill for 5 minutes. Brush with the remaining sauce and continue to cook on the grill until sizzling, approximately 4 minutes.
White Agave Worms in White Wine
Illustration, p. 67
1 pound white agave worms
1 cup white wine
Salt, to taste
Harvest the worms in season and place in a soup pot with white wine (more or less worms may be prepared; the ratio is always 1 pound worms to 1 cup white wine). Bring to a boil for several minutes, remove from heat, and add a little salt to taste. Serve on avocados or other fresh fruits and vegetables.
Sago are the larvae of a beetle found in palm trees in Southeast Asia and eaten by the locals. Since they are not available in North America, I have substituted the fat and succulent larvae of the agave billbug.
1/2 pound agave billbug larvae, roasted
6 potatoes, peeled and cooked
2 tablespoons butter
Milk, as needed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 eggs
1 tablespoon flour, sifted
Preheat oven to 300°F.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the potatoes with butter, milk, and salt and pepper. Stir in the roasted larvae.
Place the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk with a fork. Add the sifted flour to the eggs and mix both into the mashed potatoes.
Grease a baking mold with butter and fill with the potato mixture. Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Turn out onto a platter and serve.
Pork Loin with Honey of the Virgin
Illustration, p. 68
In Mexico the delicate and much prized honey of stingless bees is known as “honey of the virgin.” It is well worth seeking out, though this still makes a fine dish with regular honey.
2 pounds pork loin
Salt, to taste
Coarse black pepper, to taste
1 cup canola oil
Ground cinnamon, to taste
Ground cloves, to taste
Ground anise, to taste
Ground mustard, to taste
Pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup honey from stingless bees
1 12-oz. can Coca-Cola
Roasted bee larvae, to garnish (optional)
Wash the pork loin and dry with a paper towel. Cover with salt and pepper.
Place oil in a deep pot and heat oil to smoking point. Add pork loin and sear over high heat, turning to brown on all sides, about 8 to 12 minutes.
When evenly browned, add the spices, turning until pork loin is well coated. Add the honey, cover, and reduce heat. Let simmer until the honey liquid is absorbed.
Remove pork, retaining juices in pot, slice, and return sliced pork to pot with the Coca-Cola. Cook, covered, for approximately 30 minutes, until meat is well glazed. Serve with roasted bee larvae, if desired.
Illustration, p. 69
1/2 pound wheat flour
4 eggs
1 pinch bread yeast
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 pound leaf-footed bugs, frozen or live
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
3/4 pound tomatoes
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
herbs (thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, oregano), to taste
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Place the flour in a mixing bowl and stir in the eggs, one at a time, to form dough. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of bread yeast and knead the dough thoroughly. Dough should rise minimally while preparing other ingredients.
Roll out pizza dough to the desired thickness. Grease a baking sheet or pizza pan with the butter and sprinkle with flour. Place the pizza dough on the greased cooking sheet.
If using frozen bugs, thaw ahead of time. If using live bugs, fry them in the oil.
Shred cheese and spread generously over the dough.
Boil some water and blanch the tomatoes for 1 minute. Take the tomatoes out and remove the skin, which should separate easily.
Place the skinned tomatoes in a bowl and mash with a fork, adding salt and pepper. Spread on top of the cheese.
Lay the bugs evenly over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with the aromatic herbs and bake in the oven until cheese and crust are brown.