Fresh shallots are in the farm stands now on the east end of long island and they are so good, so I prepared one of my favorite recipes of all time. Scribbled in the margins of this recipe in Barefoot in Paris, I have "Out of this world", and it is. I would never have thought to make shallots a side dish to any meal, but leave it to Ina Garten to teach me something new. I served these one Thanksgiving with a filet of beef and my friends are still talking about them, and we had them with roast chicken just last week. Try to get the smallest shallots possible and also have them be as uniform in size as possible for consistency in cooking.
Caramelized Shallots
Serves 6
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact*
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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* To peel shallots easily, drop them into a pot of boiling water for less than 1 minute. Drain, then remove the skins, keeping the root section intact.
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Melt butter in a 12-inch ovenproof sauté pan, add shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown.
- Add vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.
- Place sauté pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender.
- Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
These are easy, make the house smell wonderful, and they literally melt in your mouth! I know you'll like them.
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