Gringo Chapulines Recipe

In honor of the first ever World Edible Insect Day, I have adapted a tasty central Mexican treat for the gringo kitchen.  Simple, healthy and low-carb, this Chapulines recipe uses pre-cooked Chapulines sourced from the Oaxaca region in Mexico.  Chapulines make a great snack on their own, or are delicious main attraction in loads of Mexican dishes.  This this Gringo Chapulines Recipe, combines cold creamy guacamole, crunchy chapulines,  and a toasty warm corn tortilla to create a delicious Pre-Columbian treat.  MUST pair with skunky Mexican beer – Modelo was good, but wish I had Sol.

Want to find or learn more about Chapulines?  Contact me with at least 1 week’s notice and I’ll hop the border into Juarez and send some crunchy Chapulines your way.  Escamoles (ant larvae) and Gusanos (agave worms) are also usually available.  For another awesome Chapulines recipe, checkout this mini tostada recipe from the El Paso Zoo Bug Fest.   With your leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, consider making spicy critter fritters with cricket flour and spicy dipping sauce.

Gringo Chapulines Tacos

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Simple and super savory. The textures are fantastic as either a taco dinner or tortilla chip appetizer. This recipe is heavy on garlic. If that's not your bag, only use one garlic clove in the guac. and one in the chapulines. Also, this recipe makes an extra 2 cups of guacamole - either half the guac ingredients, or buy a bag of tortilla chips to accompany (extra guac not in nutrtional info).

• courseAppetizer, Main Dish
• insect ingredientGrasshopper Recipes

Servings

10 tacos

Servings 10 tacos

Gringo Chapulines Tacos 1 2 3 4 5 Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Simple and super savory. The textures are fantastic as either a taco dinner or tortilla chip appetizer. This recipe is heavy on garlic. If that's not your bag, only use one garlic clove in the guac. and one in the chapulines. Also, this recipe makes an extra 2 cups of guacamole - either half the guac ingredients, or buy a bag of tortilla chips to accompany (extra guac not in nutrtional info). courseAppetizer, Main Dish insect ingredientGrasshopper Recipes Servings 10 tacos Servings 10 tacos

Ingredients

Guacamole

• 1 small red onion
• 2 pablano pepper
• 1 small jalapeno
• 2 clove garlic
• 3 tomatoes remove seeds
• 4 avacado
• 1/2 cup cilantro stems removed, packed cup
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

chapulines

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1 small white onion
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 cup grasshoppers *chapulines are usually pre cooked and seasoned
• 10 corn tortillas

Servings: tacos

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Combine red onion, poblano peppers, and 2 garlic cloves in food processor and pulse until evenly blended. *Ingredients will fill a 7 cup food processor to the brim.

   
2. Remove seeds from tomatoes. Add tomatoes, avocado, juice of one lime, salt, and cilantro to food processor. Blend until uniform. The longer the guac. sits in the refrigerator, the better the flavors will blend - at a minimum you want at least 30 min. 2 hours is better.

   
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet, then add garlic and onion. Cook 3-5 min or until onion is translucent. Add chopped chipotle pepper. Cook for another 1-2 min.

   
4. Add precooked chapulines and continue to cook for 2-3 min to thoroughly heat chapulines.

   
5. Heat in 1/2 tsp of oil a separate griddle or large shallow pan on medium high heat and swirl oil around to evenly distribute. Add corn tortilla and heat each side untill browned and bubbled.

   
6. Layer each warm tortilla with guacamole and hot, crunchy chapulines. Garnish with lime and cilantro.