New Haven chef Bun Lai says cicadas, and other insects for that matter, have value on your dinner plate.
He’s been preparing cicada-based dishes, spiced and steamed or dehydrated, and serving them to friends at his home this summer.
Lai says he’s trying to start a conversation about what we should be eating for our own health and the health of the planet, “insects in general, especially the most nutritious insects, are more nutrient dense, they’re healthier to eat than any livestock or even any seafood.”
Cicadas are high in protein, low in fat and carbohydrates, and gluten-free.
The cicadas Lai has been using are caught in Cheshire.