shallots are sweeter milder cousins of the onion. you can utilize these purplish little gems in everything from eggs to tuna fish to salads to pasta and vegetable dishes or salsas. if you haven’t worked with shallots before you will find them in the onion and garlic section in the supermarket. if you buy them in that area they will have a bronzish skin. when purchasing make sure they are firm and that they don’t have any dark or moldish looking spots. you can also find them in some stores already peeled in the refrigerated sections. this is totally acceptable and a great time-saving option. once you get your shallots home you mince them up into fairly tiny pieces (about a ¼ inch pieces) and add them to your recipes. thinly sliced shallots are perfect for sandwiches or making sliders. if you have cooked with onion and it is a bit too strong for some people in your family you can try switching to shallots. the flavor seems to be a good gateway for people who are trying to get over their onion issues. outside of their great flavor they have been linked to help with everything from cardiovascular health to healthy bone tissue. if you need caramelized onions in a pinch you can sauté shallots until soft with a splash of balsamic vinegar for about 10 minutes. with their natural sweetness you’ll have a close replica to caramelized onions in half the time — just don’t cut them thicker than 1/3 of an inch.
what are shallots and how can i use them in recipes?