Lori Lynn, Author at Taste With The Eyes

Entomophagic Anju: Tasty Insect Snacks To Enjoy While Drinking

ENTOMOPHAGIC ANJU #1

Crickets & Kkwarigochu in a Sweet, Sticky, Garlicky Sauce

I asked my friends if they would like to sample some edible insects as a snack…and all I heard was…crickets.

For most of them, it turns out that eating intact insects was intimidating. Go figure. But add in the effects of an alcoholic beverage or two, inhibitions disappear and these same friends become amenable to giving my bug-centric snacks a try.

In Korean, there is a word for food meant to be consumed with alcohol – Anju. In English, there is a word for consuming insects – Entomophagy. Here I present an Entomophagic Anju: Tasty Insect Snacks To Enjoy While Drinking. Let’s get the party started with some cold beers.

Feeling loosened up and ready to indulge in the first anju, my friends gave rave reviews to Crickets & Kkwarigochu. The recipe was inspired by the popular Korean banchan (side dish) myulchi bokkeum (stir-fried anchovy) and it is positively addicting.

Salted stir-fried crickets are coated with a sweet, sticky, garlicky sauce. Kkwarigochu (aka shishito peppers in Japanese) are blistered in a hot wok with a bit of oil. Kkwarigochu are thin-walled mild peppers with a fresh green vegetal flavor and just a whisper of heat. But beware, every once in a while, there’s a hot one in the bunch! Paired with cold refreshing Hite beer, this entomophagic anju was a big hit!

The crickets (aka house crickets, Acheta domestica) have been raised in California for human consumption on a diet of apples and bananas. They are then cooked and dried to produce a crispy, crunchy snack or ingredient with a wheat-y flavor. The entire cricket is edible & no other ingredients are added. (From Marx Foods here).

Crickets & Kkwarigochu Recipe

Continue reading “Entomophagic Anju: Tasty Insect Snacks To Enjoy While Drinking”

Grilled Eggplant Pizza with Low-Carb Cauliflower Crust

Grilled Eggplant Pizza with Cauliflower Crust
with
Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Garlic, Basil, Mint, Red Chile Flakes, Mozzarella

OK Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian friends – this pizza is for you! Smoky grilled eggplant tops a pizza crust made of cauliflower. Grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic, basil, and mint are tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt and red chile flakes then loaded on top of the eggplant. Sprinkled with shredded mozzarella then popped in the oven until everything is nice and hot – this pizza will delight everyone, but especially those who want to replace the dough. Cauliflower naturally has lower carbohydrates, higher fiber, and more nutrients than traditional flour-based pizza dough. This is a true veggie pizza.

How to Make a Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Continue reading “Grilled Eggplant Pizza with Low-Carb Cauliflower Crust”

Gallo Pinto “Rice & Beans” with a Fusilli Twist

Gallo Pinto “Rice & Beans” with a Fusilli Twist
Fried Eggs, Red Chiles, Scallions

A delightful vegetarian dish had fallen off my radar. We very much enjoyed Gallo Pinto years ago when traveling in Costa Rica. It’s a humble combination of white rice and black beans livened up with bell pepper and onion, lots of rough chopped cilantro, and flavored with Salsa Lizano. As Salsa Lizano is not widely available, Worcestershire sauce makes a terrific substitute. The fermented liquid condiment is made from barley malt vinegar, spirit vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind, onions, and garlic. (Vegetarian versions are available without anchovies). Worcestershire adds a unique and complex flavor to ordinary rice and beans.

For a twist on the usual recipe, I substitute Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta from my friends at Explore Asian for the white rice. The dish is topped with eggs fried in olive oil, spicy red chiles and thinly sliced scallions. It makes a satisfying meal, suitable for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.

Gallo Pinto Recipe

Continue reading “Gallo Pinto “Rice & Beans” with a Fusilli Twist”

Sultry Pumpkin Soup – Southwest Flavors, Dressed To Kill

Sultry Pumpkin Soup – Southwest Flavors, Dressed To Kill

Pumpkin, Ancho Chile, Pear
Tortilla Strips, Pumpkin Seeds, Chile de Arbol Flakes, Candied Orange Zest
Cinnamon Crema, Chile Oil

The ancho chile’s complex raisin-like taste complements the pumpkin. Black pepper and cinnamon coax out its deeper flavors. Homemade smoky chile-de-arbol flakes and fiery chile oil add some heat to the relatively mild ancho. Ripe pear and maple syrup bring natural sweetness while orange adds a certain brightness. Tortilla strips add crunch and pumpkin seeds bring an earthy nuttiness. It’s all rounded out by spiced Mexican crema. One just might have a burning desire to try this sultry pumpkin soup with its bold Southwest flavors and adventurous garnishes.

Sultry Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Continue reading “Sultry Pumpkin Soup – Southwest Flavors, Dressed To Kill”

Caramelized Upside-Down French Sweet Potato Pie {Tarte Tatin}

Caramelized Upside-Down French Sweet Potato Pie

Holiday Spiced Sweet Potatoes are our seasonal favorite side dish, where thinly sliced sweet potatoes are baked with rich cream, brown sugar, warm spices, salt and pepper.

Apple Tarte Tatin, the world famous upside-down apple tart with buttery caramel-y flavors, is super easy to make and results in one impressive dessert time and again.

Here, the recipes are blended together – where the French tart’s apples are replaced with sweet potatoes and seasoned with pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, clove, cardamom) for a unique pie that will definitely make it onto my Thanksgiving menu this year. Caramelized Upside-Down French Sweet Potato Pie makes a fabulous dessert, but could be equally successful served as a sweet-savory vegetable side dish, perhaps along side a Standing Rib Roast or Holiday Turkey.

Caramelized Upside-Down French Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Continue reading “Caramelized Upside-Down French Sweet Potato Pie {Tarte Tatin}”