Beets are amazing, especially when roast, especially when paired with delicious ants! This ant recipe is a healthy delicious introduction to cooking with adult or ant larvae. Food grade ants can be difficult to find. Chinese Black Ants as well as some larval ants, like the ones used to prepare this ant recipe can be found in some asian grocery stores or in regions of central Mexico as escamoles. Please let me know if you need help sourcing ants. This ant recipe kicked off an amazing Salud Bug Dinner at the Witte Museum.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup goats milk ricotta
- 12 roasted baby beets
- 8 oz Hymenopteran Caviar
- 2 inches vegetable oil
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cup cottonseed oil
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 Shallot
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
- For roasted baby beets: Clean beets by cutting tops off. Place in a roasting pan and pour oil in. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 45 min. Take out and cool. Once cool take a clean towel and remove the skin by rubbing it away.
- Caviar: sauté thawed tender ant larvae in extra virgin olive oil for about 2 minutes for a light brown toasted effect
- For Balsamic vinaigrette: Add everything in blender except for oils and puree. Slowly add oils until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
- For the plating: Slice beet and arrange in diamond formation on the outskirt of a small round. Toss baby spinach, goats milk ricotta, and balsamic vinaigrette, s/p together and place in center. Garnish with "Caviar".
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