When it comes to eggplant recipes, we generally find ones that call for the smaller the fruit (yes, it’s a fruit!), to have better flavor and texture. And of all the miniature varieties cropping up at farmers’ markets right now, we’re especially digging fairy tale eggplants. And of all the fairy tale eggplant recipes we've made, the one at Drifters Wife (one of BA’s Hot 10 Best New Restaurants this year) is the one we can't stop thinking about.
These tiny beauties, palm-sized and streaked with purple and white, are a dream to cook— they’re so tender and creamy, they don’t require salting—and they’re never seedy or bitter. At Drifters Wife, Chef Ben Jackson sears them on the stove then roasts them until tender and serves them over a bed of tangy-sweet cashew butter—with plenty of pickled peppers sprinkled on top for good measure. He keeps the Portland, ME restaurant stocked with several heirloom eggplant varieties by working with a group of local farmers, but he's especially partial to fairy tales. Their dainty size is ideal for cooking hard and fast, creating big flavor payoff in a small kitchen.
“I don’t like overcooked eggplant because it becomes soggy, but it’s really easy to achieve an even cook on a fairy tale eggplant, so it’s nice and charred on the cut side and still retains the nice, fresh taste of eggplant without taking on too much oil,” Jackson says. Unlike large globe eggplants, which can sport tough skins and mealy, seedy insides when cooked, fairy tales are ideal for roasting or confiting whole until tender and creamy. Plus, they cook wildly fast. For perfectly cooked fairy tale eggplant, Jackson halves them lengthwise and places them cut side down in a hot cast-iron skillet to create a beautifully caramelized face and a custardy interior. As a bonus, leaving the eggplant skin-side-up can help preserve some of their gorgeous striated patterns (but don't be too disappointed if yours turns gray).
The eggplant is then finished off in the oven until tender, then served with a cashew butter we can't stop thinking about. Garlic, shallots, and cashews get sautéed in oil, then blended with sugar, salt, lime, and a touch of fish sauce. It's an umami-packed condiment that goes with just about anything, but it pairs especially well with the slightly charred eggplant and the pickled peppers that finish the whole dish off.
We love fairy tales for their delicate skin and fresh flavor, so snag them if you see them at the market. Look for firm, unbruised eggplant no larger than the palm of your hand. Other fairy tale eggplant recipes we love: Try rubbing with spices and serving over raita, or marinating in a fiery curry and charring on the grill. Fairy tale eggplants will only be around for a few more weeks, so look for them now—or risk missing out on some of the rarest, prettiest, and most delicious summer produce around.
