Salad of Moreton Bay Bugs with Rice and Sesame Dressing
Serves 6
12 cooked Moreton Bay Bugs
1 cup brown rice, boiled in salted water until tender
1 bunch green asparagus, trimmed, blanched and sliced (see notes)
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted (see notes)
6 cups mixed baby salad greens, to serve
Sesame Dressing
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted (see notes)
Make Sesame Dressing: combine ingredients in a screw top jar and shake well. Set aside until needed.
Slice Bugs lengthways and remove the meat from the shells, remove the digestive tract (grey thread) running down the middle of the tail meat. Cover and refrigerate.
Place rice, asparagus and salad greens in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss well to combine. Divide between plates and top with Bug tails.
Notes: If asparagus spears are thick and woody, snap off and discard the bottom section and use a potato peeler to peel the spears; if they are thin, you may only need to cut off the very end and not need to peel them. Blanch asparagus in well-salted boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then refresh in ice water, or cold running water, to stop the cooking. Toast sesame seeds and almonds in a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes, tossing gently to prevent them burning, or under a griller (but watch them closely).
Alternative Species: Balmain Bug, Marron, Prawns, Redclaw, Scampi, Yabby.
For information on Moreton Bay Bugs, click here >
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