There are many of us who think cooking is a monstrous task, and we avoid stepping into the kitchen unless we are in a do-or-die situation. However, for some of us, the kitchen is our favorite place and cooking is always an exhilarating experience. We love to cook for ourselves, our families and our friends. Those who enjoy the culinary arts are always up for new challenges and they don’t mind experimenting with different cuisines. However, no matter what region a recipe belongs too, most delicacies require one basic vegetable—the onion. Though several renowned cooks insist on paying attention to how you chop the onions, model and Chef Padma Lakshmi believes, “It doesn’t matter how precisely the onion is cut as long as the person chewing it is happy.” Onions precisely do that—add loads of flavor to whatever you are cooking, be it chicken curry, a steak or lobster bisque. However, there are certain cuisines, like that of France, which demand something that adds the flavor of onion, without masking the smell of the actual dish. This is when the onion moves aside and the shallot steps in.
Is A Shallot An Onion?
At the first instance you would probably wonder what exactly shallots are. The second instance you would convince yourself that those are just baby onions. Stop right there! You’re nowhere close to guessing what these little wonders are, unless you’ve been watching Top Chef and Masterchef, so let us tell you.
Shallots are definitely related to the onion, but their scientific names differ—onions are called Allium cepa, while shallots are called Allium ascalonicum. Also, there are certain obvious differences when it comes down to appearance and flavor.
• The layers in shallots are packed tightly, one on top of the other and they have a lower percentage of water content than an onion.
• Moreover, they have a mild sweetish aftertaste, which is quite unlike the pungency of onions. They might also have a hint of the flavor of garlic, since they are from the same family.
• Peeling, chopping and cooking shallots require more finesse and care, since they are extremely fragile and run the risk of getting overcooked and eventually mushy.
• Though substituting shallots with onions and vice versa is completely up to the person cooking, culinary experts argue that the fine line between the two should necessarily be maintained.
• Shallots are easy to grow, using vegetative multiplication, while onions require a more skilled technique of gardening, known as seed-propagation.
• Onion bulbs are round and broad, while shallot bulbs are smaller, more elongated and sleeker.
Photo Credit
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/differences-between-onions-yellow-red-vidalia-what-are-ramps-shallots-how-to-cook-with-onions-guide.html
How To Choose The Best Shallot
There are various kinds of shallots, but there’s one thumb rule for every different variety, when it comes to shopping for them. Remember, shallots are usually expensive, so it is essential that you stock up on them and purchase those that will last a long time. If you buy good quality shallots, they will remain in your pantry for up to 6 months, especially if you store them in a cool place with good air circulation (not a refrigerator, though). To ensure you get the best out of them, choose shallots that are firm, with no wrinkly skin and no air pockets inside them. Also, the skin should be clean and shiny with no dark patches.
Photo Credit
http://www.broersenbulbs.com.au/growing_guide/shallots.html
Different Kinds Of Shallots:
1. Brown Shallots
These are usually light brown in color and have the possibility of having more than one clove inside the whole skin. Also called Dutch or English shallots, they are the kind that’s most readily available in the market.
Photo Credit
https://pixabay.com/en/shallot-shallots-noble-onion-onion-5765/
2. Banana Shallots
Large in size, they possess a smooth skin, which is slightly darker than the brown shallots. Their flavor is mildest among all the other varieties, and they are more popular because they are easier to peel and chop.
Photo Credit
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/208010076516099838/
3. Pink Shallots
These are the lightest hued of them all and are suited for dishes that require a crunchier texture in them. They are more pungent in taste, though they still work fine in recipes that avoid the overpowering taste of onions.
Photo Credit
http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Onions-Garlic/Shallot-Picasso_9.html#.Vd2soyWqqko
How To Peel Shallots Easily
In case you want to use maybe one or two shallots, it is a better idea to peel and chop them as you would with any regular onion. However, when you get down to cooking with these little monsters on a large scale, you could master the technique described below:
1. Separate the shallots into their individual cloves by cutting off one end.
2. Boil a pot full of water, and throw in all the shallots that you need into this. Let them soak for about three minutes.
3. Three minutes later, you are most likely to notice the skin around the shallots loosening up and becoming soft.
4. Drop the shallots in cold water in order to stop them from cooking.
5. Cut off a tiny portion of the bottom end of each clove of shallot quite, and once that is done you could try squeezing them out of their softened skin.
6. Another method would be to make a light cut on the top layer, and then peel off the skin to reveal the shallot inside.
Photo Credit
http://mybutterhalf.com/?p=2563
How To Chop A Shallot Like An Expert
Before you drop the shallots into hot water, ensure the top end is trimmed, and the bulbs separated. This makes peeling easier. Once you have peeled them, you can move on to chopping according your needs. Here’s a simple dicing technique that is used by expert chefs all over the world.
1. In the case of banana shallots, follow a process that is identical to the one you use in the case of onions. This is because these shallots are longer and are easy to get a firm grip over.
2. For every other variety of shallots, follow the dicing method instead of the slicing method.
3. Cut the shallot from top to bottom into two halves, without completely slicing it off at the root.
4. Now place it down on the chopping board, and make as many horizontal cuts as you can, remembering to leave the tapering root intact.
5. Once again make as many vertical cuts as possible. Here too, leave the root alone and slice the shallot.
6. Now hold the shallot firmly on the board, and keeping your knife straight at a 90 degree angle slice through the shallot till you reach the root. The slices fall apart, and you can discard the root.
Photo Credit
http://soochie.com/
So now that you know what a shallot is, time for some French cooking. Bon Appétit!
