Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Shallot. — The shallot, or eschalot, is a kind of onion — the mildest cultivated — used for seasoning soups and made dishes, and for flavouring sauces and salads. The shallot has a bulbous root, made up of a number of smaller bulbs, called cloves. It ought to be taken up in the autumn, and be hung in nets in a cool airy place. When properly dried, it will keep till spring. It is stronger in taste than the onion, but does not leave so strong an odour on the palate, and for this reason is often employed instead of the onion, both in cooking and for eating in a raw state. It is planted during October or November, or early in spring, say in February, March, or. the beginning of April. Shallots are in the best condition during July, August, and September. Shallot for Venison. — Strip off the skin from some fine shallots — about a pint in quantity — boil them in salted water for five minutes, then throw off the first water, and add more boiling water to them. If the sauce is desired very mild, change the water until quite done, and throw in salt enough to flavour. Drain them thoroughly. Serve in good melted butter or gravy. This sauce is often served as an accompaniment to venison when the true flavour of the meat is not relished. Time, about fifteen minutes to boil. Probable cost. Is. 6d. for this quantity. Shallot Gravy {see Gravy, Shallot). SHA ( 853 ) SHA Shallot Gravy, for Broiled Cutlets, &C. — Peel and mince half a dozen .shallots. Put them into a saucepan with a wine-glassful of vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a little coarse pepper, and let them boil very gently for five minutes. Pour over them a quarter of a pint of brown gravy, add a small lump of sugar, let the sauce boil again until the gravy is pleasantly flavoured, and strain it into a tureen. If liked, a clove and a little piece of mace may be boiled with the shallot. Time, altogether, twelve to fifteen minutes. Shallot Pickle.— Shallot pickle is prepared in the same way as garlic pickle, that is to say, as follows : — Steep one quarter of a j pound of ginger in strong salt and water for five days. At the end of that time cut it into | slices, and dry it in the sun ; put it into a large stone jar with a gallon of the best white-wine i vinegar. Peel one pound of garlic or shallot, salt it well, and let it stand in the salt for three | days. Wipe it, and dry it in the sun, then put | it into the pickle. Add also to the pickle a j quarter of a pound of long pepper steeped in salt I and water and well dried, one pound of bruised I mustard-seed, and a quarter of a pound of tur- | meric. Shake these ingredients well in the jar, | and add anything that it is desirable to pickle [ as it comes into season, salting and drying it previously in the sun. When completed, the pickle should be kept for a year or two. When that time has expired, it will be found to be excellent. The flavour of shallots may be obtained by placing them in a bottle of cold vinegar : in a month they will be found to have imparted their flavour to the vinegar.