Eat insects in a delicious way: a burger!
Why would I want to eat insects?
Eating insects is very common in many cultures around the world. They are very nutritional, a great source of protein, and also have a really good taste. Eating insects can also be beneficial for the environment because it produces significantly less amount of greenhouse gasses than the production of meat, uses less land, and you can even breed them at home. Insects might be a solution for world's food security.
In short, eating insects can have health and environmental benefits, not to mention they taste really good. So what better way to start eating them than a delicious mealworm burguer?
If you want to get started immediately, skip to the recipe section, or if you want to learn more about mealworms just keep reading.
Mealworm burger!
Let's start by understanding what mealworms are. Mealworms are not actually worms but the larval stage of a group of insects known as "darkling beetles", or more scientifically as Tenebrio molitor.
A larvae is the stage of the insect before it reaches the adult stage, in other words, before it turns into a beatle. This larvae eats a lot (usually oats and vegetables), to prepare for turning into an adult. For this reason, every mealworm has great nutritional values, which is one of the reasons to eat them.
Alright, so I might have convinced you about their importance in nutrition, but they still look weird. They must taste horrible right? WRONG. Mealworms, just like many other insects, have a great taste. Most people describe them as having a nutty flavor, but some describe it differently. After all, they have their own taste, and it's great!
Still not convinced? This burger recipe by the chef Stefan Gates is guaranteed to make you reconsider the way you look at insects and make you enter into the amazing world of entomophagy!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 100 g fresh mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp honey
- 140 g freeze-dried mealworms
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 50 g walnuts, chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme, fresh and finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- plain flour, for dusting
Where can I get the mealworms?
Preparation
- Add a splash of oil to a pan at medium heat. Add the mushrooms and fry them until they're soft and brown, for about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic into the pan and fry for one more minute. Now add the honey and vinegar, and keep frying until there is just a little syrup alongside the mushrooms.
- Put the mushrooms into a food processor, along with the mealworms, anchovy fillets, nuts, oil, and fresh herbs. Add salt and pepper to season.
- Turn the processor on and keep it running until you obtain a smooth paste. If it looks too dry you can add some oil to get the right consistency.
- Dust your hands with some flour and make a couple of good sized burger patties.
- Add some oil into the pan and cook the patties until they're brown and crisp on both sides.
- Serve in a bun with tomato, lettuce, and your favourite condiments or in any way you like to eat your burguers. Enjoy!
Tips
To keep the burguers from breaking apart, you can freeze them before cooking them.