We’ve got so many interesting resources on cicadas from this month’s podcast, that I thought it best to give them their own place online.
Indiana University’s award-winning film Return of the 17-Year Cicadas
http://www.bio.indiana.edu/~hangarterlab/broodx/broodxmovies/NSFmovie.htm
Indiana University’s Invasion of the Cicadas
http://www.indiana.edu/~preserve/research/CicadasPres/start.html
Field Museum of Natural History: Cicadas and Emerald Ash Borers
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits/cicadas_tempexhib.htm
Lake County Forest Preserves’ Species Database
http://www.lakecountyspecies.org/
Lake County Forest Preserves’ Cicada Mania! Brood XIII Cicada Emergence 2007
http://www.lcfpd.org/cicadas/
“So long, cicadas. I’m glad I got to know you” Chicago Tribune (June 23rd, 2007).
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/chicago_gardener/2007/06/so-long-cicadas.html
“Cicadas in Illinois: Return of the noisy teenager” The Economist (June 14th, 2007).
http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9340263
“Cooking Up Cicadas” ABC 7 Chicago (June 21st, 2007).
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=websites&id=5401799
Anyone try these or any other cicada recipes? What’s your opinion? Make your opinion known. Add a comment to episode 8: Cicadas.
Soft-Shelled Cicadas Snack
Ingredients:
1 cup Italian dressing
60 freshly emerged 17-year cicadas
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups flour
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme & paprika
1 cup corn oil
1 cup marinara sauce, heated
Directions:
Remove the wings and marinate the cicadas (best done in a plastic ziplock “baggie”) in Italian dressing for at least four hours.
Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme and paprika with the flour in a bowl.
Dip cicadas in the beaten eggs, and then roll them in the seasoned flour and gently sauté them for 3 minutes in hot oil until they are golden brown.
Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
The Simple Cicada
Ingredients:
2 cups blanched cicadas
Butter
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil, or to taste
4 oz. Shitake mushrooms
2 oz. fresh spinach
1 lb. of your favorite pasta
Olive oil
Directions:
Boil pasta in a pot of salted water.
Melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add basil, cicadas, spinach and mushrooms and continue cooking, turning down the heat if necessary, for 5 minutes or until the cicadas begin to look crispy and the basil and spinach are wilted.
Toss with cooked pasta and olive oil; sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. Yields 4 servings.
Chocolate-Chip Trillers
Ingredients:
2 1⁄4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3⁄4 cup sugar
3⁄4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 12-ounce pkg. chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1⁄2 cup dry-roasted chopped cicadas
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and cicadas, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop-up a teaspoonful of batter, and drop it onto ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat until all batter is used.
Cook for 8-10 minutes. Yields approximately 3 dozen cookies.
]]>