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In North America, the UK and Europe, Shallots are small onions whose pear-shaped bulb looks like garlic. Each bulb has 2 to 3 cloves, with each clove covered in a light, paperish skin that may be gold or reddish brown. The flesh of the bulb is off-white with a bit of purple hue.

They are commonly used in French cooking owing to their delicate flavour when cooked, but they are much hotter when eaten raw.

Southern Indian cooking is more likely to use Shallots in place of onions, whereas cooking in the north of India tends to favour regular onions. Indonesian cooking also tends to use shallots instead of onions.

Choose ones that are firm and heavy for their size, and have dry skins with no sprouting.

Cooking Tips
Shallots have a subtler, sweeter flavour than either onions or garlic. Browning them, though, will cause the taste to go somewhat bitter, so if you are sautéing them, just cook them until they are translucent and soft.

If a recipe calls for one Shallot, what is meant is just one clove. To skin a clove, top and tail it, then the skin should slip off. You can also use the tops, chopped.

If you have to peel a lot of Shallots, soak them first in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes to make them easier to peel.

Shallots are used in making the French sauce called "Béarnaise".

Substitutes
Per 3 to 4 Shallots, substitute 1 small onion, yellow or white, or the bulbs of green onions or leeks.

Nutrition
Shallots are a source of potassium and are low in sodium.

Equivalents
4 tablespoons, minced = 1 oz / 30g

Storage
Store for a month in a cool place outside of refrigerator.

History
Shallots probably originated in the Middle East. They were first brought to Europe by the crusaders.

Literature & Lore
"Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shallot." -- Alfred Lord Tennyson. Published 1831.

Language Notes
A trading town in Southern Palestine was known as "askalon" by the Greeks, and this became eventually our English word Shallot. It is also reflected in the scientific name now attached to them.

Australians use the term "Shallots" to describe green onions.

Called "Bawang merah" in Indonesian.

Also called:

Other entries for:

Onions
Apaz Onions, Boiling Onions, Calçot Spring Onions, Cipollini Onions, Green Onions, Grelot Onions, Intermediate-Day Onions, Leeks, Long-Day Onions, Pearl Onions, Ramps, Red Onions, Red Spring Onions, Scallions, Shallot, Short-Day Onions, Sweet Onions, Yellow Globe Danvers Onions

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Root Vegetables
Añú, Beet, Carrots, Cassava, Celery Root, Crosne, Garlic, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Jicama, Konjac Root, Malanga, Oca, Parsnips, Potatoes, Prairie Turnip, Radishes, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Sea Holly, Swede, Sweet Potatoes, Taro, Turnips, Water Chestnuts, Yacon, Yamagoboo, Yams

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Vegetables
Agave, Artichokes, Asparagus, Brassica Family, Canned Vegetables, Cardoons, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Frozen Vegetables, Gourds, Horseradish Tree, Leafy Vegetables, Lotus, Mixed Vegetables, Mushrooms, Pak Wan, Peas, Peppers, Sago Palm, Seaweed, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Tomatoes, Viscous Vegetables

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