Halloween Recipe: Spinach and Garlic Pupae On Fungus

As the end of the year approaches, I find my social calendar quickly filling up with a multitude of invitations to a wide variety of celebrations. No matter who is inviting me, or to what party I’m RSVPing to, there’s one thing I’ve seen at the bottom of every invitation:  “Please bring your favorite appetizer to share.”

Damn.

Luckily I have a quick and easy recipe that I’ve turned to time and time again.  Not only is it easy to make, but it’s impressive enough to hold its own against the countless bowls of guacamole and platters of meatballs that always seem to crowd the party tables…and let’s be honest, you bring a tray of this to your next party and you’ll definitely be the topic of conversation for years to come.

So what are you waiting for?  Let’s get baking!

But first, a very serious word of Warning:

If you are allergic to shrimp, or any type of shellfish, you will also be allergic to this dish.  Why?   Both insects and shellfish are classified as ‘arthropods’ – having an exoskeleton and segmented bodies. Any insect that has an outer shell is a part of this classification and should be treated as a potential allergen and you should NOT eat it.

As much as I’d love the company in Hell, you dying of anaphylactic shock before your time as a result of this recipe is just going to mean two things:

1.  You’re dead.
2.  The Incoming Soul Processing team will have to do an Unexpected Arrival paperwork package on you, which I know they really really hate.

Okay, now that that is out of the way, let’s get started.

To make your own garlic and spinach pupae on fungus you will need:

• 2 Cups fresh spinach leaves
• 12 Cremini mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parmesan
• 1 Tablespoon diced garlic
• 1 Teaspoon flour
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 12 Silkworm pupae
• 2 Tablespoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter

The fist thing we need to do is prep the pupae the NIGHT BEFORE you’re ready to make your fungus.

Start by poking a hole in the bum of each pupae with a toothpick or skewer.  You’ll want to be careful when you do this.  The idea is to allow flavors IN, not for all the ooey-gooey goodness inside to come OUT…so be gentle, don’t over-squeeze.

Once you’ve got your pupae poked, place them in a bowl of cold water.  Mix in 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and allow them to soak in this bath in your refrigerator for at least 6 hours, (overnight preferably.)

After the pupae have soaked, remove them from their bath and pat them dry, but do not rinse.

Sprinkle the pupae with the salt and flour and toss to coat evenly.

Melt your butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil and butter are hot and well combined, add in your pupae and diced garlic in a single layer.

Using your spatula or a wooden spoon, gently agitate your pupae as they cook, rotating them so they fry up evenly in the hot oil/butter and garlic mixture.

As your pupae cook, you will notice their exterior becoming almost translucent.  Once the pupae are a nice golden brown and their exteriors are almost totally translucent, remove them from the heat and set them aside for now.

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.

As your oven is warming up, take your mushrooms and remove the stems.  Using a spoon, gently scoop out the center of each mushroom cap to create a small bowl shape.

Take the stems and bits of mushroom you’ve cut off and scooped out and save them.  You will be using them in a later step.

Place your scooped and cored mushroom caps into a shallow pan lined with tin foil, bowl side up.

In the same pan you sauteed your pupae in, saute your spinach leaves until wilted.

In a food processor, pulse together your wilted spinach, sour cream and the bits and pieces of stems and trimmings from the mushrooms you cut up earlier until just blended.

With a spoon, fill each mushroom cap with the mixture.  Sprinkle the top with the grated parmesan cheese and place one pupae on top.

Once all your fungus are properly stuffed, sprinkled and topped, pop the whole thing into your oven and let cook for 12-15 minutes or until the parmesan cheese is fully melted and lightly browned.

Serve immediately with a side of crusty French bread and a glass of white wine.

Disgustingly delicious!

Bone appetite!

 

 

 

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