In Your Bin October 21st: Shallots!
From our archives, a note on shallots and a recipe we hope you enjoy! We constantly get asked about the difference between shallots and onions and hope that these notes prove to be helpful. The pumpkin in your bin is known as a Pie Pumpkin but go ahead and enjoy the seeds and carving for Halloween as well!
In Your Bin:
Regular Share: Pumpkin, Onions, Daikon Radish, Spinach, Kale, Shallots, Sweet Potatoes, Beets
Large Share: Regular Plus Parsley, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes
~Your Willo’Wind Farm Team
Shallots, like onions and garlic, are a member of the allium family, but their flavor is richer, sweeter, yet more potent. Like garlic, they grow in clusters, with several bulbs attached at the base. You’ll recognize them by their coppery skins and their off-white flesh, which is usually tinged with magenta.
Shallots and scallions are often confused and used interchangeably. But although they are both in the onion family, they’re very different varieties of onion. You can substitute one for the other in many recipes, but the resulting flavor is quite different.
They also contain flavonoids, a type of antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables that helps protect the body and may reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. (Garlic, leeks, and onions also have great cancer-fighting nutrients, by the way.)
From Ina Garten, published in Barefoot in Paris:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof saute pan, add the shallots and sugar and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.
Place the saute pan in the oven and roast for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.