Shallots?
 

Okay.. What is a shallot and what does it look like and where can I get it at in the grocery store? I've noticed a lot of recipes that have that in it and I would like to try some but I have no clue what it is!

Thank you,
Clueless :)

I have been noticing that lately in a weight watchers cook book I have too. I went to the store and they are $3.99 a lb! They are basically a super small onion. I guess the flavor is supposed to be more concentrated though. I didn't buy them.

Wow thats expensive. I don't think I will be buying them either if they're that expensive where I'm at.

I love them. They are usually over with the onions and garlic in the grocery store. They have a very mild onion flavor..
http://www.bigoven.com/uploads/shallot.jpg

Shallots are fabulous, for the price they are worth it. They are very small and so you could get several at $3.99. Typically, I pay no more than $1.99 for them, so you might have to seek them out. They look like a small tear drop shaped onion and they have a great flavor that is full bodied, almost a cross between garlic and onions. I use them all the time in recipes, sometimes in place of onions.

Good Luck!

C.

They do sound expensive if you look at the per pound price, but you don't use much in a recipe. You could buy 1/4 of a pound and have them around awhile. The taste similar to an onion, but the flavor is more mild, more sweet, and more refined.

If you like them and have space in your yard you can plant them too. They grow just like garlic and are very easy to grow. You should be able to find shallot sets at your local nursery or online.

I love shallots and use them all the time in place of an onion/garlic combo if I want a more mild flavor. Yeah, $3.99/lb sounds expensive, but as someone else said, you'l probably only pick up 1/4 to 1/2 lb at a time and that'll last you a while.

They're great in soups or just lightly sauteed and sprinkled over baked fish or even chopped and sprinkled in salad.

Well I guess it depends on how often and what you are using them for. I use regular onions all the time and that would add up if I had to spend alot for those. lol

I don't think you're understanding! :)

You don't use these like regular onions. You use them kind of in the same way you'd use, oh, chives? Or garlic? They're a seasoning, not a main ingredient.

Most recipes that call for shallots will call for 1 shallot, or maybe 2.

Okay thank you ladies. I will be looking for those then and then I 'll make up my mind about to buy or not buy depending on the price.

Just buy 1. If you like them, then you can get more. If you really like it, then do the local farmers a favor and buy them at a produce stand or farmer's market.

You can mince those babies up, spread them out on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 1/2 hour. Then put them into freezer bags. When you need some, you pull them out of the freezer in the already minced quantity you need.

Here's another way to look at it. Do you buy steak? How much per pound do you pay for that? Do you buy deli meat? How much per pound are you spending for that? 1 lil ole shallot ain't gonna break the bank.

hahaha--- I just read that and said, "Nope, don't buy steak and don't buy deli meat for that very reason." I rarely spend more than $2.50 a pound on ANYTHING.

But I too wondered about the miracle of shallots... same with leeks--- never used those either. and I LOVE onions.