A Bit About Your Fairy Tale Eggplant (Recipes Inside)

Of all the unexpectedly diverse eggplant varieties out there, the fairy tale eggplant is perhaps our favorite. Packed with all the earthy, nutty flavors we love in these mammoth berries (yes, berries, look it up), and largely free from the tougher skins and seedy innards typically associated with eggplant, fairy tales are the best of all worlds.

Easy to grow. Easy to prep. Easy to work with. And above all, delicious. 

There are certainly more nutritious veggies out there, but few can stack up to eggplant’s combination of taste, texture and fiber. It’s no wonder they’re a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines: That creamy inside is the perfect base for dips and spreads, with just enough flexibility to sponge up the ingredients around it, and just enough flavor of its own to keep things interesting. 

So with that context, you still may be wondering what to do with those fairy tale eggplants in your latest CSA box. Let’s run down our list:

1. Our farm lead, Todd Jackson, points to this eggplant, tomato and feta recipe as one of his favorites you can fit on a single sheet pan. With a dash of olive oil, all three flavors blend together like something out of… *a fairy tale.* 
2. Here’s a few cooking tips to help you work with the smaller, more delicate profile of a fairy tale eggplant. The way we see it, the smaller the better: The fairy tale’s complexion is highly amenable to halving, dicing, peeling or whatever prep work you need to handle before the main event. Like a cucumber, but eggplant-ier.
3. Some would say they’re a salad all unto their own. And when tossed, minted and honeyed correctly, we agree. Much like a bean salad or fruit salad, fairy tale eggplants are a great last minute side dish or addition to your main course.

4. Enjoy those little gems, and don’t forget to send a photo of what you cooked up @crowntownfarm on Instagram!