Raising mealworms
Mealworms are the larval form of the yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor. These little wrigglers aren't too picky, and will munch on most organic matter. However, raised at home, they can be easily kept on a diet of dry feed such as cereal or wheat bran (by-products of food processing), alongside small amounts of an edible moisture source such as carrots or potato.
Harvesting mealworms
When mealworms are ready for harvest, their food source is removed for at least 24 hrs. They are then frozen and washed, before being prepared for dinner! This recipe features oven-dried mealworms, but they can also be roasted, sauteed or deep-fried (and more!).
Mushroom and mealworm arancini
Arancini are a great way to introduce entomophagy to the insect-curious in your life (and use your leftover veg!). Choose your favourite risotto recipe, then stir in ground, oven-dried mealworms to taste. Here, we have paired oven-dried mealworms with a mushroom risotto. Oven-dried mealworms have a subtle savouriness, with a flavour similar to raw walnuts and cereal – pairing perfectly with mushroom risotto. Once the risotto is ready, simply ball it up, crumb, deep-fry and enjoy!
