Why Not Eat Insects? (part 2): Fried grasshoppers and other edible delights
After an introduction to Vincent Holt’s ‘Why Not Eat Insects?‘, I thought I would share some recipes from the book. Before I do, I hope you enjoy a quotation about the delights of eating insects from the author:
Does not the sweet scent of our cooked bodies tempt you? Fry us with butter, we are delicious. Boil us, grill us, stew us; we are good all ways!
I have adapted these recipes slightly to make them into instructional lists with steps. In the book they are interdispersed and written in continous prose.
Whilst the book touches on the subject, as with any wild food, you should consider the source so the food is free from unwanted contaminants. Collecting along a busy road, a path frequented by many dogs, or a sewage outlet is unwise. I am not recommending that anyone tries these recipes, although after trying them I shall report back. The woodlouse sauce is the one I will probably try first.
Fried Grasshoppers
Catch some large grasshoppers of an abundant species (Chorthippus brunneus would probably be good)
Remove the heads, legs and wings
Sprinkle the bodies with salt, peper and chopped parsley
Fry in butter then sprinkle with vinegar
Dressed Snails*
Boil the snails for 15 minutes
Remove the boiled snails from their shells then clean them thoroughly
Boil the cleaned, shelless snails for a further 15 minutes
Rinse and dry the snails, then fry gently in butter until golden brown
Woodlouse Sauce
Collect a quantity of the finest wood-lice to be found
Place the woodlice in boiling water
In a separate pan, melt ~100g (1/4 lb) of butter
To the melted butter, add: a teaspoon (6mL) of flour, small glass of water, a little milk and some salt and pepper
Cook the butter-based sauce until thick, the add the boiled woodlice
This sauce is supposed to go well with fish…
* Note: The author recommends keeping a simple snail enclosure, allowing you to control the vegetation they eat and preventing them from eating unsavoury plants, or plants poisonous to humans.
Reference:
Holt, V.M. (2007) WHY NOT EAT INSECTS? Whitstable, Pryor Publications Whitstable and Walsall.
Note: The original was book was published in 1885. The version I have is a fascimile.
Tags: cooking, grasshoppers, orthoptera, Woodlice
