Pickled shallots go well with many dishes that call for a fruity-sweet side dish. Game dishes, beef ragout or a raclette, to name just three examples.
Unlike onions pickled in vinegar, these shallots are cooked in a flavoured syrup that makes them soft and extremely aromatic.
Actually, I always wanted two or even three kilos at a time, but it always stayed at just under a pound, not least because I like to do that from time to time.
Although the shallots need to be cooked for a long time, it is a fun activity that takes very little time.
SWEET AND SOUR SHALLOTS IN SYRUP
for a glass of approx. 500 ml
- 450 g shallots, or small yellow onions
DAY 1
1Pour boiling water over the shallots and leave to stand for 2 minutes.
Drain and quench in cold water.
Peel carefully, leaving the shallots whole.
- Salt, approx. 50 g
Place the shallots in a bowl and cover with cold water. Pour the water into a measuring jug, add the salt and dissolve (75 g salt per litre).
Pour over the shallots again, weighing them down with a plate (so that all the shallots remain covered with the liquid).
Leave to infuse for 24 hours.
• 2-3 Cardamom pods, broken open
- 1 Cinnamon stick, in pieces
- 1/4 untreated lemon, thinly zested
• 1 TSP. Cumin
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1-2 dried chilli peppers
DAY 2
2 Fill the Spices in a Gauze bag or in a big Tea Egg.
- 500 ml white wine vinegar
- 350 g sugar
Bring the vinegar and sugar to the boil with the spice sachet, Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain, rinse and drain the shallots.
Add to the boiling syrup and place over a very low heat. 15 minutes gentle simmer.
Leave to cool, cover and leave to stand overnight.
DAY 3
3Slowly heat the shallots in the syrup over a very low heat, not completely covered. 2-2.5 hours almost not even simmern leave: only a few bubbles may rise.
As soon as the shallots are translucent, they are cooked.
Squeeze the spice sachet onto a spoon with a fork and discard.
Carefully lift out the shallots with a slotted spoon and place in a sterilised jar with an acid-proof lid.
Bring the syrup to the boil again and fill the jar with it, making sure the shallots are completely covered.
Close the jar.
Durability: unopened approx. 2 years (I always polish them off before then!).
little spicy
Tips:
- Cooking at a really low temperature just below the boiling point ensures that the shallots remain whole. There is a so-called Heat distributor, which is placed on a gas flame or on a ceramic hob.
- Use a clean fork to remove the glass, do not reach into the glass with your fingers!
- If using jars with screw caps, place a piece of plastic film (cut to size freezer bag!) between the screw cap and the jar to prevent the lid from corroding due to the vinegar content
mmh, delicious. I'll give that a try. Unfortunately, we don't have these small round shallots here. You have to look for the smaller ones. Best wishes, Cornelia
Also works perfectly with the round sauce onions!