Baby.eggplant.butts.
Can you even handle the cuteness?
I die.
Obviously, some gene went whacko in my 9 month incubation period because I look at this picture and squeal from the cuteness overload. I look at a real baby and…nothing. Well actually, I see plenty. It just so happens to be the sleepless nights, the crying, the spit up, the OMG I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS CHILD’S EDUCATION and not the cute baby cheeks, but I digress.
Before this, I have never even seen baby eggplants. Leave it to my black market, Asian grocery store though to have them.
There I am on a mission, walking straight back towards my fish guy when I get smacked with cuteness overload from the wooden crate filled with these things. Want to know my first thought? EEEK, (I squeal in my head only, I promise I don’t actually talk like this) THESE WOULD BE SO FREAKIN CUTE FOR THE BLOG. Yes, the thought deserved caps and yes, I’ve become that person. Luckily, they weren’t only cute, they were out of control delicious too.
Normally, I’m not even a huge eggplant fan. It’s not that I don’t like it, I just don’t love it. It’s kind of a blah vegetable unless of course it’s breaded, fried and coated in cheese and marinara sauce, then my feelings tend to change. But by itself…boring.
Oh, but not these little mini ones!
1. They’re the perfect size. Two bites and you’re done. No time for the weird mushiness to set in.
2. They have little stems like strawberries. Things with tiny green stems automatically win tasty points. #truth
3. Stuff anything with goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts, drizzle with honey, balsamic vinegar and parsley and tell me it’s not the best thing you ever ate.
This is a dish I would make in the land of make believe.
The land where I throw extravagant dinner parties on fine china and silver, dressed in some designer gown and hold real, adult conversations with good friends while sipping expensive wine.
The land where I open my personal catering business and rich clients pay me to create their meals.
The land where I spend my days seeking out farmers markets and the freshest ingredients, making whatever I’ve been inspired by that day for dinner.
Instead, I made this in real life.
The land where no one can get together for dinner parties because there are 1 million babies involved now.
The land that when I put anything on besides sweats or workout clothes I actually feel proud of myself.
The land where every adult conversation I have somehow turns to babies, the birthing process or why we don’t want them.
The land where I still have a 9-5 “real” job that pays my mortgage.
The land where the Asian grocery store is as close as I get to a farmers market 99% of the year.
Sometimes, it’s way more fun to live in the land of make believe.
- 10 baby eggplants
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 3 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
- honey, for garnish
- balsamic vinegar, for garnish
- parsley, chopped for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray.
- Wash eggplants and carefully slice about ¾ through each one lengthwise, careful not to go all the way through.
- Place eggplants on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt & pepper.
- Roast for 20 minutes at 425 then turn to broil for an additional 3-5 minutes just until skins start to wrinkle.
- Remove eggplants from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine goat cheese & sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl and mash together.
- Stuff each eggplant with a small amount of the goat cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle pine nuts on top.
- Finish with a drizzle of honey, balsamic vinegar and chopped parsley.
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
I am not one for eggplant, but this looks wonderful! I may try it, especially since you broiled them. have a great day!!
You’re telling me you feel nothing when you look at all the pictures of Hailey I plaster all over my blog?!
Haha, I love that you know what you want and don’t want. Screw people that want an ‘explanation’ from you. And the baby eggplants? They are incredibly cute! But I’m not wild about the veggie, so I can I just eat the goat cheese filling? YUUMMMmmmmm
Ok, it’s not that I feel nothing (I’m not that cold hearted!) hahaha it’s just that the negatives outweigh the positives!
YUM
I love the addition of the pine nuts!
That sounds pretty friggin’ awesome. I’ve been on an eggplant kick lately, so I hope I remember to make these soon.
these are too cute!! they remind me of olives (or at least they look like them when cooked and stuffed). what a great idea. so creative! i’m not a fan of eggplants though, it’s a texture thing for me..BUT you stuffed them with goat cheese, so i think i can get over that dislike and eat one or two of these..are you sharing??
So adorable – love your creativity! And I especially agree with the statement #3 – I’ve yet to find anything that wasn’t 1000x better with goat cheese!
Cookbook.
I generally hate eggplant but these are just so cute that I had to let you know! They’re so cute that I’d even be willing to try them. That’s big.
And, when I see a baby, I think the same thing as you plus “that would be much cuter if it were a dog.”
These are tooooo cute! When I saw those mini eggplants on Instagram, I about died and went to adorable vegetable heaven!
Baby eggplants really are the cutest. And funny, you and I see the same thing when we look at actual babies, ha.
These are adorableeee Gina! I would have squealed (in my head) also!
Your line about the baby eggplant butts is hilarious! I don’t think I’ve ever tried a baby eggplant, but they’re awfully cute!
I *think* I’d like to have a baby someday, but judging by how I’ve had numerous freak outs over our new puppy controlling my life, that’s a long ways off. Plus, the idea of being pregnant/giving birth still sends me into a panic. Perhaps adoption will be in my future? I don’t know.
totally with you on the generally “meh” feeling about eggplant. But these look super cute and anything with goat cheese is a win for me!
I love your massive aversion to vagina rippers. Those are some damn cute eggplantlets though. If you’re going to be anti baby, though. You need a cat or a capuchin monkey.
Ginger’s gonna have to cut it because I’d die of an allergy attack in about 2 minutes with either of those in my house!
I agree, eggplants are only okay. But this looks so divine! It truly sounds incredible! Beautiful photography as well.
I just bought eggplant from my local asain grocery store! They’re not cute little baby eggplant but they’d do. I have goat cheese in my fridge too! I’m gonna make this for dinner tonight!
Those are super cute!!! Can’t wait to make them. Thanks for sharing!
Cuteness! This deliciousness makes me yearn for summer… So bad!
I will never leave the land of make believe… ever!! Well, maybe briefly… just to nip into the kitchen to make these… for an imaginary dinner party, obviously! ;D They look great! I completely agree that adding goats cheese, sun dried tomatoes et al makes everything that much more delicious!
I WANT.
Also, anytime you don’t want to talk about babies, I’m available.
SO CUTE!!! I have never seen these. Your recipe looks beautttiful. If I ever find baby eggplants, I am going to make it! (I may even settle for the same recpie with a regular boring non-cute eggplant, if I must.)
I had a seriously bad eggplant experience but the cute factor is really tugging at me.
Eggplants are my favorite. In fact I cooked some yesterday. It involved garlic, cilantro, some vinegar and walnuts. Old Georgian recipe my grandfather used to cook.
Yours look to die for! That’s what I am making next time my eggplant cravings are out of control.
I love eggplant and I love goat cheese even more. …AKA these look to die for!!! I bet the pine nuts and honey add amazing flavor and tecture too.
This just made me laugh. Those eggplants are super cute. And I would give anything to have that Asian store near me now.
Wow – What a great dish idea for a dinner party! I love baby eggplants or Japanese eggplants. YUM
these look amazing, i’ve only cooked with baby eggplants once, and it too was because they are soooo cute. thanks for the inspiration!
All of my eggplant from my garden are tiny like this. Maybe I just grow the baby variety (good excuse for my lack of a green thumb!)
You made me laugh
OMG, those baby eggplants are soooo cute!!! I am a huge, like HUGE fan of eggplants. I am stunned with the dish you’ve made. Thanks!
I’m a total pine nut junkie. And I loooove eggplant. For some reason stuffed peppers don’t hold much appeal for me, but stuffed eggplant? Get out of my way I have food to shovel in my face.
And I’m super excited you’re hooked on Downton. Welcome to the club.
Okay, so you had me at goat cheese stuffing. Yummm!
I want a baby eggplant right now purely out of how adorable they are! Stuffed with goat cheese doesn’t sound half bad either
The real world is over rated. I like your dream world better. But take the stuffed eggplants with you and let’s do lunch…yum!!!
yum this looks amazing! healthy and delish!!!
Yummy recipe!!!
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