Fried Shallots and Shallot Oil

Ingredients

• 8 shallots (Large shallots, peeled and sliced very thinly and evenly)
• 2 cup neutral cooking oil (Such as grapeseed, sunflower, canola, or other neutral oil; enough to fry the shallots, with approximately 1/2 cup strained and reserved afterward)
• fine sea salt (To taste, for seasoning the fried shallots)

Steps

1. 1

   Peel the shallots and slice them into very thin, even rings or strips. Separate the slices so they fry uniformly; unevenly cut pieces can burn before the thicker pieces become crisp.

2. 2

   Place the sliced shallots in a medium saucepan or small Dutch oven and add the neutral oil. The oil should cover the shallots. Set the pan over medium heat.

3. 3

   Cook the shallots, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as they begin to color, until they are evenly golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Control the heat so the shallots brown gradually rather than darken or burn; they will continue to crisp slightly as they cool.

4. 4

   Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer the fried shallots to a paper-towel-lined plate or a wire rack set over a tray. Spread them in a single layer so excess oil drains away.

5. 5

   Season the hot fried shallots lightly with fine sea salt. Let them cool completely, uncovered, until crisp.

6. 6

   Strain the remaining oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean heatproof container, pressing gently on the solids to extract the oil without forcing burned particles through. You should have approximately 1/2 cup shallot oil.

7. 7

   Store the fried shallots and shallot oil separately. Use the shallots as a crunchy garnish and drizzle the infused oil over vinaigrettes, soups, salads, cooked grains, grilled meats, or seafood.

Notes

The source identifies the yield as approximately 1 1/4 cups fried shallots and 1/2 cup shallot oil, with a 20-minute cook time. The complete member-only ingredient list and method were not visible in the supplied page excerpt, so the ingredient quantity and technique details are reconstructed estimates. Store the fried shallots in an airtight container at room temperature for a short period and refrigerate the strained oil; use clean, dry containers and discard the oil if it develops an off smell or shows spoilage.

Nutrition per serving

• condiment
• garnish
• Southeast Asian
• fried
• make-ahead
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• dairy-free