
When I’m putting together a restaurant dish it’s important that everything that goes on the plate is there for a reason not just garnish. Confit shallots go with so many things and these look beautiful on a plate as well as tasting sweetly delicious. Also lovely to be added to tarts or just on their own with cheese
You can confit the shallots the day before, halve them and store in the fridge until you are ready to use and finish the recipe.
The recipe is easy to scale up.
EQUIPMENT; Blow torch if you want to have the charred effect.
6 banana shallots or 12 small round, kept whole, peeled and the root left on
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sea salt flakes
Preheat the oven to 210C Fan. Tear off a piece of aluminium foil big enough in which to wrap the shallots. Put the shallots in the middle of the sheet. Pull up the sides of the foil around the shallots leaving the top open. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of sea salt.
Now fold over the top so the whole parcel is sealed but there is plenty of room for steam to form inside the parcel. Place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Be careful when you open the parcel as hot steam will escape. If they aren’t soft when you poke with a sharp knife, reseal and pop back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
When cool, halve each shallot through the root. If you want the char effect, use a blow torch to scald the cut side.
Confit shallots
Ingredients
- 6 banana shallots peeled, kept whole with the root left on
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 210C Fan. Tear off a piece of aluminium foil big enough in which to wrap the shallots. Put the shallots in the middle of the sheet. Pull up the sides of the foil around the shallots leaving the top open. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of sea salt.
- Now fold over the top so the whole parcel is sealed but there is plenty of room for steam to form inside the parcel. Place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Be careful when you open the parcel as hot steam will escape. If they aren't soft when you poke with a sharp knife, reseal and pop back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
- When cool, halve each shallot through the root. If you want the char effect, use a blow torch to scald the cut side.