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Monday, April 29, 2013

Sweet Shallots!

Photo and text by KARA DICAMILLO/ecoRI.org News contributor

I have a confession. The caramelized shallots that accompanied my salad greens this week were so good that I could have eaten them all myself. I love the sweetness of shallots and they can be found at local farmers market at this time of year, along with the greens.



The recipe for the shallots is derived from Smitten Kitchen, and I love it because it was easy and I used ingredients that I already had in my pantry. I used a simple red wine vinaigrette for my dressing and then topped them both with a bit of goat cheese from Simmons Farm. You’ll have the urge to dip the shallot into the sweet, buttery sauce that’s left behind in the pan, and I’ll leave that decision up to you.
But what I can tell you is that you’d better make extras.

Local Salad Greens with Caramelized Shallots 
Makes 2 servings


3 tablespoons of butter
1 pound of shallots (about 4), peeled with the roots intact
One and a half tablespoons of sugar
One and a half tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Quarter teaspoon of salt
Quarter teaspoon of freshly cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


In an ovenproof sauté pan, melt the butter and then add the shallots and the sugar. Toss to coat and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the shallots begin to brown, tossing occasionally. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper, and toss well.

Place the sauté pan in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes or until tender. Serve hot and enjoy.