Barefoot slave's Caramelized Shallots

 This has everything necessary to make it a great holiday side dish! Unique wonderful taste, addictive sauce, and can be expensive. Although slave hears that at times you can get them at Costco in the big bags! Slurp!

The basis for the recipe comes from the legendary Barefoot Contessa and her: Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

In fact in slave's research almost every recipe it could find referenced her dish as an “inspiration”. So does slave!

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1½ - 2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots cut very close

(try to get small ones of even size)*
3 tablespoons Dark Brown sugar
3 tablespoons good white wine balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
optional a dash of thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a baking dish

*Note: Some people have trouble peeling the shallots for this dish and recommend dropping them into boiling water for one minute to loosen the skin. This helps a few. Slave suggests cutting the tip off, then peeling down the outer layer. Now just twist it off and cut very close, leaving the tiniest tip of root and clean it well. This holds the shallots together and when it has been cleaned and cooked it is no different from the rest of the vegetable.

Directions

Quickly melt 2 tbs of the butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix well, then toss in the shallots and mix them around.

Melt the rest of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium to medium-low heat add the shallots and sugar, and stir to coat well. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally, or just until the shallots start to brown. Wait until this point to add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and stir that in well. 

Carefully pour into a baking dish and put into oven. Slave lists the cooking times as between 15 to 30 minutes. The reason for the big difference is because it all depends on the size of shallots being cooked. You want them tender but not blackened and burned.

Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

Or bake ahead of time. When the meat comes out of oven: put the shallots in and they will warm up as you let the meat rest. Remember, you always let the meat rest!

IMPORTANT NOTES:

This can be fixed and frozen for up to 6 months!

The sauce tends to be highly addictive and very fattening!

Cut recipe in half if just fixing for two people: make more than 2 lbs for 6 people!

Absolutely fabulous added to a sandwich, heaven in a bite!

Faithfully serving Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!