Bug Fair - Cooking with Insects
Italian Cricket-stuffed Mushrooms
Looking for an appetizer that tastes great and packs a nutritious punch? These mushrooms, stuffed with chopped green onion, bell pepper, cricket crumbs, and Italian seasoning make a delicious and easy bite of Italian-inspired flavors. You can serve these hot and fresh, or cover and store the mushrooms up to a full day before serving.
Time: ~40 minutes
Ingredients:
- ½ - 1 pound of medium whole fresh mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup cricket crumbs (dried and whole roasted)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Twist mushroom stems to remove from mushroom caps. Finely chop enough stems to measure 1/3 cup. Reserve mushroom caps.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chopped mushroom stems, onions and bell pepper in butter about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened; remove from heat.
- Take whole, dry roasted crickets and grind to cricket crumbs. Mix in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in cricket crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper with the cooked mushroom and vegetable mix.
- Fill mushroom caps with the entire cricket crumb, mushroom, veggie mixture.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, in oven. Place mushrooms, filled sides up, in pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes.
- Optional: Set oven control to Broil. Broil mushrooms with tops 3 to 4 inches from heat about 2 minutes or until tops are light brown. Serve hot. (Or refrigerate and serve within 24 hours)