

No one quite does the shallot justice like Florence Fabricant: "Shallots are like lingerie: a graceful and necessary underpinning, more appreciated in France than in America, and increasingly showing up in full view."

Then why does this beautiful allium so often get the slip? They may be passed over as one of those fancy ingredients in French recipes and therefore mistrusted as foreign and unapproachable. They are not always readily apparent in the grocery store and can sometimes be a task to find at the farmers' market.

This is confounding to me for they are easy to cultivate in Colorado, perfectly sized for one recipe and absolutely delicious. It's a win-win all around, which makes it curious why we automatically slam dunk the onion into our shopping cart when cruising the produce aisle. Habits of culture and taste are hard to break.

Shallots are often thought of as just another variety of onion, like their leek or chive relatives, but they have unique characteristics of their own. The differences between an onion and shallot are both obvious and subtle. Physically shallots are smaller with golden pink to coppery plum skins, and joined in pairs at the root end like Siamese twins, though much easier to separate. They can be slender, rounded or tapered at the stem end. And lacking the waterworks causing amino acid sulfoxides found in onions, nary a tear is shed while chopping them.

But it is the flavor profile -- both raw and cooked -- where the shallot outshines. More intense and yet having less heat than raw onions, uncooked shallots add a delicate flavor and tender bite to salads and pastas. They are outstanding in vinaigrettes, and when whipped into butter an unctuous topping to grilled steak.


In sauces they emulsify more than onions, giving a fuller flavor while gently supporting the other ingredients. Like garlic is to Italian food, shallots have "long been a crucial component in classic French sauces like bearnaise, Bercy, bordelaise, beurre blanc, mignonnette, vinaigrette and marchand de vin," notes Fabricant.

Once you get the gist of how to slice and mince a shallot, you will wonder why you haven't embraced them before. Cooks Illustrated brilliantly demonstrates the process of preparing them: First cut off the top or stem parts and the outermost hairy root end. Using a small paring knife, peel back the skin and slice in half lengthwise through the root if you are not roasting them whole.

When thinly sliced into rings then deep fried, shallots add a sweet earthy crunch to cooked vegetables. Caramelized, roasted, pickled and confited are some of the ways to enjoy their melting goodness as a savory side dish. As an added bonus they are quite economical in size. "A nice large shallot is the perfect size for cooking for a few people. You don't waste as much as with a whole onion," explains Gheda Gayou of Frog Star Farm in Longmont.

Frog Star's shallots have had a stellar season, taking first place this year in the commercial category at the Boulder County Fair. Gheda reveals how easy they are to grow, "On our farm nothing special was done to them. With some pre-watering in the spring they worked out well with the dry winter we had." All in all a pretty hardy crop.

Considered native to Central or Southeast Asia, shallots were introduced to Europe around the 12th century during the Crusades. Today, French varieties, specifically from Brittany are the most common. Like garlic, they thrive with moderate watering and grow in clusters of teardrop shaped bulbs comprised of multiple cloves and are propagated by their offests. Best planted in early fall each shallot bulb will yield a cluster of 5-9 bulbs the next summer.

Look for firm bulbs, heavy for their size. Younger smaller bulbs are milder in taste. They should be well-covered in their dry papery skin and free from sprouts, soft spots or signs of mold. Keep them in a cool and dry place, as you would any root vegetable.

Allons enfants de la Patrie, freshly picked shallots sont arrivées! And since they are also available year-round it's time to get into the habit of adding them to your shopping staples along with the butter, milk and eggs.

Shallots go especially well with butter, capers, chicken, chives, cream, fish, garlic, lemon juice, meats, mustard, oysters, parsley, salads, sherry, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes and vinegars.

Green Beans with Fried Shallots

2 large shallots

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Peanut oil

Sea salt

1 pound green beans

Olive oil

Directions: Peel and slice shallots crosswise 1/8-inch thick using a sharp knife. Separate them into rings and toss them in a small bowl with the flour. Shake them in a sieve over the bowl to remove excess flour.

Pour peanut oil into a small heavy pot to a depth of 11/2 inches and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. (If you don't have a thermometer, drop a piece of bread in the hot oil; it should float to the surface and brown in 60 seconds, less time and it's too hot.)

Working in a few small batches, add shallots to oil and fry, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1-11/2 minutes. Remove shallots from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel--lined plate, sprinkle with salt and let cool. (They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.)

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch for 3-5 minutes until desired crispness. Transfer beans to a bowl of ice water and chill for 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined bowl to drain.

When ready to eat, reheat the beans quickly in a saute pan with a little olive oil. Serve with fried shallots on top.

Source: Beth Pilar

Caramelized Shallots

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound fresh shallots, peeled, roots intact, halved

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons good red wine vinegar

2 large sprigs of thyme

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces creamy goat cheese

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed ovenproof Dutch oven or skillet on the stove. Add shallots and toss with sugar, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallots start to brown.

Place the pan or skillet in the oven and roast until they are tender, about 20-30 minutes, until softened through. Remove from oven, fold in knobs of cheese and serve hot.

Source: Beth Pilar

Shallot Vinaigrette

2 shallots

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Peel and dice the shallots and put them in a small glass bowl with the vinegars and salt. Stir and let mixture sit for 10-30 minutes to macerate the shallots. Whisk in the olive oil and serve over vegetable salad or greens.

Source: Alice Waters