Confit Shallots

By lorik

Ingredients

• 4 cups red wine
• 2 cups ruby port
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 ounces fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 large whole shallots, peeled

Preparation

Step 1

Place red wine, port, granulated sugar, thyme and bay leaf in a saucepan. Heat to boiling, and add the whole shallots; reduce the heat. Cook until slightly soft. Remove the shallots from the reduction so they do not overcook. Keep reducing the red wine until it becomes a thick syrup, then add the shallots back into the reduction and continue to simmer until caramelized.

Recipe Ideas:
Salad Dressing "Take any dressing recipe that calls for chopped shallots, and use a spoonful of the roasted shallots instead for a new flavor and creamier texture," Bruce says. Separate the shallots from their oil, then purée them in a blender with just enough oil to create a smooth, rich paste. Use this paste to create a creamy dressing sans cream, like the one the brothers use on their arugula salad: one cup olive oil, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar, half a tablespoon mustard and one tablespoon puréed shallot confit.

Sandwich Spread Another option for that shallot confit paste is to blend it with a hefty glug of fresh olive oil, creating a thick, aïoli-like spread perfect for slathering across toasted bread for sandwiches, preferably ones filled with rich meats (like lamb or roast pork) or bitter vegetables (think sautéed broccoli rabe).

Steak Topper Upgrade the traditional French combo of steak with onions by mixing together a two-to-one combination of chopped shallot confit and chopped anchovies. Up the complexity by folding in fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.

Bonus: Shallot Oil Once the shallots have been strained and puréed for any of the above, you'll be left with a pungent shallot-infused olive oil that can be put to use all over the kitchen. Use it as a base for basting meaty fish like mahi, swordfish or sea bass, or drizzle it over roast chicken and pork. Or use it in a non-creamy dressing, swapping the roasted shallots for fresh to provide crunch and a double whammy of shallot flavor.