Braised shallots are one of those things that every resourceful cook should know about. When braised in a bit of red wine, Cognac and fresh thyme, shallots turn unbelievably sweet and jammy—wonderful served alongside roast chicken or a juicy grilled steak.
We loved, loved, loved this dish! In fact, you may want to make extra to spread onto bruschetta and top with a little goat cheese. Or try them tucked into a sliced turkey sandwich on chewy country bread.
Look for shallots that are all about the same size—preferably medium sized 1 to 1 1/2 inch across—so they will braise evenly. One word of caution, when adding the cognac, be prepared for a flare up…
The shallots can be made ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature for several hours, or refrigerated for a few days.
Braised Shallot Confit
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. shallots
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Cognac, or other brandy.
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme.
Directions
- Trimming the shallots: Peel the shallots and trim off any bits of the root end that remain. Divide and large shallots in two—the halves should fall apart naturally, but you may need to peel off the first layer of shallot to serparate them.
- Browning and flaming the shallots. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Sauté, tossing frequently, until the shallots are brown in spotsand you can smell the aromaof cooking onions, about 5 minutes.
- Add the Cognac: If you are cooking over a gas stove, carefully tilt the pan and let the flame ignite the Cognac. On electric, hold a match to the pan to light the cognac. Stand backas the flame flares up, then swirl the panaround and let the flameburn down. Simmeruntil there is onlya glaze lefton the bottom of the oan.
- The braise. Add the wine and one teaspoon of thymeand bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Simmer until the shallots are completely soft and falling apart, about 40 to 45 minutes.After the first 15 minutes, check to make sure that the pan is not dry, ad a few tablespoons of water if necessary.Check again 2 or 3 times as the shalloys braise.
- The Finish: When the shallots are done, remove the lid and, over medium heat, boil down any liquid, shaking and stirring a few times, until a glaze forms on the shallots. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, gently stir (expect some of the shallots to fall apart a bit). Taste for salt and pepper; serve warm or a room temperature
Recipe by Molly Stevens in “All About Braising”
Accounting for Taste 