Hi bento pals! Today's bento was based on this beauty of an eggplant from the farmer's market. I've been admiring its round, happy form and pretty purple/ivory colors since Saturday!
Here's how I cooked it today: 400 degree oven, eggplant halved and scored. For a soboro style filling: four minced garlic cloves, one inch piece of fresh ginger, diced and sauteed with a quarter pound of organic ground beef. Remove eggplant from oven after about 50 minutes or until tender. Carefully scrape out its custardy flesh, retaining skin/shell. Combine eggplant pulp with beef mixure. Add mirin, tamari, sake to taste. Mound eggplant shells with savory filling and bake for a few more minutes. Yum!
Eggplant half garnished with colorful beni shoga and scallions:
Pink grapefruit and golden kiwi:
These baby tomatoes were juicy and sweet! The farmer's market has been great bento/cooking inspiration this summer--for you, too? Speaking of farmer's market inspiration, Sonoma Bento is hosting a wonderful giveaway to celebrate her 50th market-sourced post--check it out!
Yummy eggplant!! The bento is so bright and delicious looking!
ReplyDeleteThe eggplants looks so good! The rest has a beautiful summery look! I love the green bento and lovely chopsticks sleeve.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenn! This type of eggplant has become such a fave! Thanks for stopping by with your lovely comments, looking forward to seeing what new & artistic bentos you've come up with :D
ReplyDeleteHi there Lyndsey, aw, thanks so much! I'm really tuned into light, right green recently. Have a great Wednesday evening!
ReplyDeleteSo gorgeous! I am just sitting here at the computer and sighing. Ha ha! I missed the farmers market this morning, but luckily during the summer months we have an evening version on Wednesdays mixed in with a street fair, so I'll head down to get something yummy for bentos!
ReplyDeleteHi SB, you are so nice! Ooh, looking forward to seeing what you find at the market :D!
ReplyDeleteI love the ivory color eggplant. The bento is nice & yummy with all the fresh fruit & veggies. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, I haven't had dinner yet and that eggplant looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily! :D
ReplyDeleteZoom in the bento picture ... So curious about the yummy filling inside the eggplant LOL :D Awesome bento!!
ReplyDeleteHi Konnie, such a sweet comment--thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Lia--many thanks! Hope I described the filling with enough detail in the post...and that you've had a great day :D
ReplyDeleteThe eggplant looks soooo delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kuusou! If you are an eggplant fan, hope you'll give this approach a try...easy and yum :D!
ReplyDeleteThe eggplant looks so yummy, and the size is big! I like the cherry tomatoes photo so much, you are such a good photographer, besides a great bento-ist! :D
ReplyDeleteHello Ai Ping, what a lovely comment, that really inspires me! Yep, it was a really big eggplant to start, though roasting deflated it a little bit...
ReplyDeleteIts so great to get ideas and encouragement from our bento community, thanks so much :D!
Aaawwww *growling stomach*
ReplyDeleteGorgeous eggplant: it looks like a flower, the way you photographed it!
Hi there gnoegnoe, ah very cool comment thank you!
ReplyDeleteAmazing color in that top eggplant photo--I wish I could find a dress in that color! Haha. I love the color of that kiwi too! (I am soooo behind on reading blogs.)
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks Carol! Yes, its a great deep sizzling purple shade, full of life and depth. This was also the first time I'd purchased "golden kiwi"--an interesting variation on the usual green version!
ReplyDelete