Courtesy of Created by Jenna Jadin and the University of Maryland Cicadamaniacs © 2004 University of Maryland 2nd edition

Cicadas are a delicacy in the city of Shanghai, China, where this creative recipe originated.

• Cicadas
• anises
• salt
• rice wine
• mashed garlic
• celery


Boil the cicadas and anises in salted rice wine for five minutes, then remove the cicadas. 

Sauté the mashed garlic, adding water and rice wine to make a paste.

Deep-fry the cicadas, then skewer them with bamboo picks.
Arrange them on a plate with the turnip greens, celery, and garlic paste to look like the cicadas are climbing out of a mud pie onto green foliage.

• 4 U.S. grade No. 1 fresh potatoes (Idaho potatoes)
• 2 dozen mealworms – boiled but not roasted
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• ½ teaspoon smoked salt

Cut and slice potatoes into preferred style, i.e. shoestring, etc. Keep the skin on to enhance the homemade appearance and flavor. If you prefer to peel your potatoes, please keep in mind that fries made from peeled potatoes should be chilled after cutting in cold water for 10 minutes to 30 minutes before frying, to ensure maximum crispiness and to prevent them from sticking together while frying.
Deep fry potatoes, mealworms and scallions together for 3 minutes in proper temperature oil. The oil is the proper temperature when the fries don’t sink when dropped in and bubbles remain on top of the oil. Always use clean oil to fry potatoes.

• ½ cup shortening
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup dry-roasted mealworms

Mix together all ingredients. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350 deg F for about one hour.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

• ¾ cup white sugar (Turbinado raw cane organic sugar)
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 1 ¾ cups water
• 1 (14 ounce) can low-fat sweetened condensed milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ cup crushed dry roasted crickets

Prep Time 15 Min
Cooking Time 1 Hr
Ready in 1 Hr 15 Min
Original recipe yield 1 - 9-inch round

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, cook and stir sugar until melted and light brown.
Carefully pour into a 9-inch round baking dish, tilting the dish to coat the bottom completely.
In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and egg whites.
Stir in water, condensed milk, vanilla and salt until smooth.
Pour into prepared dish.
Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel.
Place baking dish on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack.
Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven 1 hour, until center is just set (still a bit jiggly).
Remove dish and sprinkle crickets atop flan, allowing to gently tumble down sides.
Lace on wire rack to cool for one hour.
Then refrigerate several hours or overnight.
To unmold, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a rimmed serving platter.

• 20 pieces crystallized ginger (available in the baking aisle)
• 4 ounces high-quality dark chocolate
• 20 dry roasted crickets

Directions:
Prepare a plate by lining it with waxed or parchment paper.
Break chocolate into small pieces in a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat for 30 seconds at 50 percent power, remove and stir, and place back in the microwave.
Continue cooking at 50 percent power in 10-second increments, stirring after each 10-second burst, until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted.
Dip the bottom half of each piece of crystallized ginger along with cricket placed alongside it in the dark chocolate and let the excess drip away.
Place dipped ginger with cricket attached on lined plate and allow the chocolate to set up.
Store in an airtight jar in a cool dry place.
Dip ginger/cricket combo into chocolate and allow the chocolate to set up.
Refrigerate till ready to serve.

• 2 ¼ cups cricket flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 12-ounce pkg. chocolate chips
• ½ cup dry-roasted chopped crickets

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
In saucepan heat 1 12-ounce pkg. chocolate chips until melted. Or melt in small bowl in microwave.
Dip dry-roasted crickets into mixture and lay flat on drying pan or plate.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla; beat until creamy.
Beat in eggs.
Gradually add cricket flour mixture and mix well.
Stir in chocolate covered crickets.
Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.

• 1 cup cranberries, rinsed

• 1 ¾ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup raw Turbinado sugar

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup dry roasted chopped crickets

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C.)
Lightly grease baking sheets.
In a bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and airy.
Add egg and vanilla and beat well.
Add oat mixture, crickets and cranberries and mix until well combined.
Place dough in spoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.
Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway.
Bake until golden, about 12 minutes total.
Transfer to racks to cool.