Let's eat bugs! Herby cricket polenta fries

You already eat bugs. You might not know you do, and you might not do it on purpose. But you do. They are in pretty much all prepared food, from peanut butter to juice. Plus, no matter how well you wash broccoli, there has to be the odd little critter left in there. Every broccoli floret is a labyrinthine bug prison. So why not eat them on purpose? It way less creepy to eat bugs on purpose than by accident, I promise. Plus insects are arthropods, like shrimp and lobster. Tasty, nutritious landshrimp. They are so closely related that if you have a shellfish allergy, you are likely allergic to crickets, so watch out. 

Once you're on board with insect eating, the possibilities of incorporating them into all kinds of foods really exciting. Cricket powder can be used in the same way you would use a protein powder, in smoothies or sprinkled on yogurt. But you can also use it to increase the nutritional value of all sorts of things, cookies, hummus, banana bread, granola bars, muffins, falafel - just about anything that you make from a batter or a dough could get a little protein boost from cricket powder. Here, I added cricket powder to cheesy, herby polenta fries. They turned out crispy and toothsome and they pair really well with a spicy-tangy dip. 

herby cricket polenta fries:

Adapted from epicurious

• 1 1/2 cups polenta/ yellow cornmeal

• 4 cups water or broth

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tbs butter

• 6 tbs cricket flour

• 2 tbs fresh chopped herbs: parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, any combination you like.

• ¾ cup grated parmesan

Line a quarter-bun sized sheet pan, or an 8” x 8” dish with parchment paper.

Combine water and polenta and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and cook, always stirring, for 15-20 minutes. The polenta should very thick and pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.  Stir in all remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix until evenly distributed. Spread the polenta in prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Chilli in the fridge for at least one hour.

Heat oven to 400. Carefully slide the polenta out the pan using the parchment paper. Slice polenta into  ¾ inch batons. Transfer onto a vegetable oil drizzled baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the fries periodically to get them brown on all sides.

Serve hot with spicy aioli, a shake of salt and a sprinkle of parmesan if you like.

spicy aioli:

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 3 tbs lemon juice

• ½ tsp crushed chili flakes

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Stir all ingredients together until evenly combined.

herby parmesan salad dressing

I first made this salad dressing sort of by accident. I was on holiday, and not in my own kitchen and I didn't quite have the ingredients I wanted on hand. I wanted to make a creamy-herby dressing but I realized at the last minute that I didn't have any yogurt or tahini or anything else to use for a thick, creamy dressing.

So I made the herby part of the salad dressing and rummaged around in the fridge to see what else I could add to it for a bit of richness. I almost didn’t add the parmesan, because I wasn’t sure I would like it with the cilantro. But I threw it in there, and it worked really well. Kind of pesto-ish but thinner and lighter and brighter. I would urge even the cilantro-averse to include a little bit here. It’s pretty mild and really rounds everything out.

parmesan herb salad dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 3 tbs lemon juice

• 2 cups parsley

• ½ cup cilantro

• 3 cloves peeled garlic

• large pinch chili flakes

• ⅓ cup grated parmesan

• generous salt and pepper

Blend everything together in a food processor until well combined. Serve over a big green salad, with a few shavings of extra parmesan if you really want to send it over the top.

tortellini chicken soup

This soup is a deluxe, upgraded version of classic chicken noodle soup. I love chicken noodle soup, especially if I'm feeling on the cusp of getting sick. I like it pretty classic, broth, shredded chicken, a couple thin carrot slices and a bit of parsley on top. For the ultimate cold remedy, I add A LOT of garlic and chili flakes, it really clears the sinuses. 

This essentially has the same elements, but all dialed up to 11. The soup gets a vegetable kick from celery, tomatoes and shredded kale, the broth gets a boost from a bit of tomato paste, and creamy white beans for a bit more protein.  And the pasta gets the biggest upgrade: cheesy, plump pasta dumplings bobbing around cheerfully. 

I was a bit worried that the tortellini would go soggy after sitting around in the soup, but it held up really well. Even after freezing and reheating, it didn't turn into a mush. So save and freeze your leftovers at will. 

tortellini chicken soup: 

• 4 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 shallot, chopped

• big pinch chili flakes

• 1 tbs oil

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 packet fresh or frozen cheese tortellini

• 2 chicken breasts

• 1 tin white cannellini beans

• 4 carrots, thinly sliced

• 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 2 tbs tomato paste

• 2 cups kale, very finely shredded

• parmesan and parsley to garnish

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium high and add garlic, shallot and chili. Sauté until fragrant and just beginning to colour. Add tomatoes and cook a couple more minutes. Add broth and chicken, reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken breasts and set aside. Add beans and tomato paste to the broth. Finely shred chicken using two forks. Increase heat and bring soup to a boil. Add tortellini, carrots and celery. Cook about 2 minutes or until pasta is tender. Add kale and remove from heat.  

Serve with a big sprinkle of parsley and parmesan.