Fried crickets, grasshoppers and worms

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 25 g crickets
• 25 g grasshoppers
• 25 g buffalo worms
• 25 g mealworms
• Olive oil for frying
• Salt
• Spice(s), e.g. paprika powder, chili powder, pepper, garlic powder
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 chili pepper(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt
• 1 egg(s)
• some breadcrumbs
• some Parmesan
• 1 egg(s)
• some flour
• some milk
• Salt
• some salt or seasoning salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Deliciously prepared edible insects

To prepare, remove the legs from the crickets and the legs and wings from the grasshoppers. Preparing the worms is the same, except you don’t need to remove the legs and wings. “Natural” Fry the crickets and grasshoppers in oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Fry the crickets with a little oil, and the grasshoppers with plenty of oil. Place the insects briefly on kitchen paper to drain. Then season with salt and, for example, paprika, chili, pepper, or garlic. You can also fry the crickets in flavored oil, which eliminates the need for additional seasoning. “Aromatic” Heat the insects in a pan with a little oil and fry garlic, chili, or onions with the crickets or grasshoppers until lightly browned. Salt the insects and serve with the fried ingredients. “In a Cheese Coat” Beat an egg, dip the crickets or grasshoppers, then coat them in a breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture and fry them in oil until browned. You can also serve spicy or sweet dips with the fried crickets. If you don’t necessarily want to see what you’re eating the first time, you can also use the crickets or worms in scrambled eggs, pancake batter, or batter. To do this, fry the insects first and then add them. “Crickets or Worms in Batter” Fry the worms or crickets in oil over low heat and set aside. Mix the ingredients to a pancake batter, add a little salt, add to the pan, and fry until lightly browned. Spread the fried worms or crickets on the still-moistened surface of the pancake, turn them over, and fry the second side until lightly browned. “Salted Worms” Fry the worms in oil until browned and sprinkle with salt or a spice mix with salt. For quite a few people in this world, insects are a normal food and an important source of protein; for some, they’re a delicacy. For us “Westerners,” the aversion to insects isn’t in our genes, but in our heads. When I look at some other “specialties,” insects are actually harmless. You don’t necessarily have to shop at a pet store: there are good online mail-order companies for edible insects. They are usually delivered freeze-dried. Crickets taste slightly nutty and like roasted sunflower seeds. Grasshoppers taste similar, but a bit “flatter” and “drier.” Buffalo worms are very aromatic. They taste of nuts and roasted sunflower seeds. Mealworms have a slightly nutty and somewhat bitter taste; the wine connoisseur in the tasting group said “a slightly musty aftertaste.” The taste favorite of the tasting group was the buffalo worms, followed by the Parmesan-coated crickets. The visual favorite was unanimously the fried crickets.