Cockchafer soup is a European dish made from the
cockchafer
The cockchafer, colloquially called Maybug, Maybeetle, or doodlebug, is the name given to any of the European beetles of the genus ''Melolontha'', in the family Scarabaeidae.
Once abundant throughout Europe and a major pest in the periodical ye ...
insect. It was a delicacy in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
until the mid-1900s. Its taste resembles crab soup. Cockchafers were once a common pest insect in Europe, with population explosions every four years, making it easy to collect enough cockchafers to make soup.
Excessive pesticide usage caused their populations to collapse by the 1970s, with complete
extirpation
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...
in many areas. Because the beetles are now relatively rare, cockchafer soup has vanished almost entirely in communities where it was once commonplace.
Preparation
According to a French recipe from the 1800s, a batch of cockchafer soup requires 500 grams of the insect with their legs and wings removed.
[Warner, Dick (May 8, 2006),]
Bug has a long, colourful history
," ''Irish Examiner
The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country. ...
''. Retrieved May 31, 2018 They are fried in butter, then cooked in a chicken or veal broth. The soup can be strained and eaten as a boullion, or crushed cockchafers can be mixed with egg yolk and
roux
Roux () is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooke ...
. The soup was served with slices of veal liver or dove breast and with croutons. A single serving contains approximately 30 beetles.
See also
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Insects as food
Insects as food or edible insects are insect species used for human consumption. More than 2,000 insects species worldwide are considered edible. However, a much smaller number is discussed for industrialized mass production and partly regiona ...
*
List of soups
This is a list of notable soups. Soups have been made since Ancient history, ancient times.
Some soups are served with large chunks of meat or vegetables left in the liquid, while others are served as a broth. A broth is a flavored liquid usua ...
References
{{reflist
German soups
Insects as food
French soups