silkworm pupae meatloaf!?

Start off 2019 with an entirely different kind of meatloaf- one made with insects, particularly silkworm pupae! It's a sustainable source of protein that you're probably going to be eating anyway regularly in 15-20 years. 

This has to be the weirdest meatloaf I've ever made and over the almost 4 years of doing this, I've made a lot of crazy shit. But never an entire loaf made with insects. I had the foresight a year and a half ago to buy 5 cans of silkworm pupae from an Asian supermarket for this very recipe. But why now? Well, the pupae were going to expire in March of this new year. 

There must be hundreds of pupae in the meatloaf and as always, it tastes like a wet sneaker with an earthy taste and the consistency of jellybeans. But this isn't the first time I've eaten these kind of bugs. I believe the last time I partook in some was when I topped them on top of some sweet potato "toast". 

When I say to serve it with Korean BBQ sauce and wonton strips, I mean it- it helps minimize the wet sneaker taste. Plus the spiciness of the sauce will take your mind off the fact you're shoving dozens of pupae into your mouth with each bite! 

Why did I make two versions of this meatloaf? I was kind of hedging my bets in case the loaf I cooked in the oven didn't taste good but that wasn't the case, apart from it being a tad dry. It's a rule of thumb that everything tastes better fried, even insects, hence why I fried some of the meatloaf. 

But let me tell you something- silkworms don't hold up very well in a meatloaf configuration(read:shape), so you need to use lots of breadcrumbs- or maybe more eggs. 

My dad didn't try this meatloaf since he doesn't eat bugs.

You will need: 

For the cooking equipment: 

A large bowl
A colander
A medium bowl
A lasagna pan
A large plate
Nonstick cooking spray
A frying pan and spatula

For the meatloaf: 

12 oz. canned silkworm pupae(can be found at many Asian supermarkets)
A cracked egg for each of the two bowls
Pinch of Chinese Five Spice
Pinch of Onion Powder
Lots of breadcrumbs
Sesame oil for frying
Serve with wonton strips and Korean BBQ sauce

1. Drain the liquid from each can of silkworm pupae and put the pupae in a colander to drain excess liquid. 
2. Place the pupae into a large bowl and cover them with water. Let the pupae sit in the water for an hour. This is to get rid of the unpleasant aftertaste. Drain the liquid with a colander.
3. Repeat step 2 two more times. 
4. Divide the pupae into two bowls- a large bowl and a medium one. 

For the baked meatloaf: 

1. Put the cracked egg, spices, and breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients up. Keep adding breadcrumbs if the loaf doesn't hold together. 
2. Spray a lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put the loaf into the lasagna pan the best you can. 
3. Bake the meatloaf in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20-25 minutes. 

For the fried meatloaf: 

1. Put the cracked egg, spices, and breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients up. Form a patty on a large plate. Keep adding breadcrumbs if the patty falls apart. 
2. Pour sesame oil into a frying pan and heat the oil up. Once the oil is heated up, place the patty in the pan and cook for a minute on each side. 

Serve with wonton strips and Korean BBQ sauce