Two of nature's more feared animals are dragged into the kitchen this week
Thursday | July 8, 2010
Posted at: The Gleaner
Tarantulas
Tarantulas and crocodiles are somewhat misunderstood though. The tarantula spider is not as deadly as people think, and crocodiles would prefer if we just stayed out of their habitat.
The tarantula is a feared arachnid but, like anything else in this world, it does end up on somebody else's plate, especially in countries like Cambodia. The story is, under the Khmer Rouge rule in the 1970s, people started eating fried tarantulas to stave off their hunger. The practice stuck.
Fried tarantula
Method
Place a skewer lengthwise through the spider.
1. Scrape off any excessive hair, then toss them directly on the fire. Cook for approximately five minutes on direct flame.
2. Remove, then wrap several banana leaves around the charred tarantula and place on indirect flame for an additional five minutes. This will steam the inside of the spider, killing any possible parasites.
3. Pull the banana-leaf wrap from the fire and eat the tarantula like you would a lobster or crab, by cracking various segments of the exoskeleton (i.e. shell).
Crocodiles
Reptiles are not the most cuddly creatures on the planet, especially the ones that can snap your head off, like the crocodile. Now, we must point out that crocodiles are protected under Jamaican laws, so you won't get any to eat here. But in other parts of the world, Australia for instance, it is legal to eat them under certain circumstances.
Crocodile is a white meat with a nutritional composition comparing favourably with that of more traditional meats like, you guessed it,chicken.
Skewered crocodile with lime and ginger sauce
Ingredients
400g crocodile meat, cut into 2 cm cubes
40ml lime juice
200ml chicken stock
30ml honey
30g brown sugar
5g ginger, finely diced
30ml olive oil
10g corn flour
salt and pepper to taste
8 bamboo skewers
Method
1. Thread crocodile meat onto skewers.
2. Place in a flat dish,j and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour lime juice over the meat and place in fridge for about one hour.
4. Remove skewers from refrigerated meat, saving residual lime juice for the sauce.
5. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sauté crocodile for about five minutes, set aside and keep warm.
6. Combine lime juice, honey, brown sugar, ginger, chicken stock and corn flour in a saucepan.
7. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for two minutes.
8. Place skewers on plates, spoon sauce over meat and garnish with fresh herbs.
Makes four.
Sources: www.australiancrocodile.com.au, www.cnngo.com and /www.ehow.com
The tarantula is a feared arachnid but, like anything else in this world, it does end up on somebody else's plate, especially in countries like Cambodia. The story is, under the Khmer Rouge rule in the 1970s, people started eating fried tarantulas to stave off their hunger. The practice stuck.
Fried tarantula
Method
Place a skewer lengthwise through the spider.
1. Scrape off any excessive hair, then toss them directly on the fire. Cook for approximately five minutes on direct flame.
2. Remove, then wrap several banana leaves around the charred tarantula and place on indirect flame for an additional five minutes. This will steam the inside of the spider, killing any possible parasites.
3. Pull the banana-leaf wrap from the fire and eat the tarantula like you would a lobster or crab, by cracking various segments of the exoskeleton (i.e. shell).
Crocodiles
Reptiles are not the most cuddly creatures on the planet, especially the ones that can snap your head off, like the crocodile. Now, we must point out that crocodiles are protected under Jamaican laws, so you won't get any to eat here. But in other parts of the world, Australia for instance, it is legal to eat them under certain circumstances.
Crocodile is a white meat with a nutritional composition comparing favourably with that of more traditional meats like, you guessed it,chicken.
Skewered crocodile with lime and ginger sauce
Ingredients
400g crocodile meat, cut into 2 cm cubes
40ml lime juice
200ml chicken stock
30ml honey
30g brown sugar
5g ginger, finely diced
30ml olive oil
10g corn flour
salt and pepper to taste
8 bamboo skewers
Method
1. Thread crocodile meat onto skewers.
2. Place in a flat dish,j and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour lime juice over the meat and place in fridge for about one hour.
4. Remove skewers from refrigerated meat, saving residual lime juice for the sauce.
5. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sauté crocodile for about five minutes, set aside and keep warm.
6. Combine lime juice, honey, brown sugar, ginger, chicken stock and corn flour in a saucepan.
7. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for two minutes.
8. Place skewers on plates, spoon sauce over meat and garnish with fresh herbs.
Makes four.
Sources: www.australiancrocodile.com.au, www.cnngo.com and /www.ehow.com
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