Caramelized Shallots

Ross would tell you that I'm no fan of onions. I pick them out of almost anything - raw, cooked, caramelized, doesn't matter. I'm not a fan. Which bodes well for Ross because he loves them! So I was suprised that I liked shallots so much. After taking a cooking class with a few friends and making an edamame salad with sliced shallots - I pretty much became a huge fan and use them whenever I can.

I'm not sure what it is about shallots. Maybe its that subtle sweet flavor it brings to dishes the longer you cook them or that it adds a not too overwhelming sweet and spicy flavor to a dish. Making this dish was shamelessly easy but so delicious, I thought it deserved its own post.

I wish there was a way to capture the smell of this dish. My cat can attest to this - she sat on the counter above the oven constantly smelling the air the entire time it was in the oven. As for my own take, I thought ti was a little too sweet so added in a little lemon to bring a bright hit of flavor. Perfect complement to chicken (that's another post to come) and some extra veggies (chinese broccoli) in the below picture.

Caramelized Shallots

Recipe from Ina Garten (via Smitten Kitchen)

6 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 lbs fresh shallots, peeled with roots intact

3 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoon good red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 teaspon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400F.

Melt butter in oven proof pan, add shallots and sugar (toss to coat). Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally until shallots start to brown. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss well.

Place pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes until they are tender. Season to taste and add parsley. Serve hot. (I added in a little fresh lemon juice to help tone down the sweetness of the shallots.)