Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Peel 350g of large shallots and slice them in half lengthways. Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a shallow, lidded casserole, add the halved shallots and 6 small sprigs of thyme, then bake for 30 minutes until the shallots are pale gold.
Scrub 750g of mussels and discard any with broken shells or that refuse to close when tapped. Remove the pan from the oven, place it over a moderate heat and pour in 250ml of double cream. Bring to the boil, scraping at the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve any tasty, caramelised bits into the cream.
Tip the mussels into the pan, cover with a lid then return to the oven for 8-10 minutes until the shells have opened. Serves 2-3.
Check the mussels carefully, and get rid of any that are cracked, chopped, exceptionally heavy or which fail to close when tapped on the side of the sink. Cover them with a tight-fitting lid when you bake them, so they cook in their own steam.
The twist
Baking the shallots and mussels is a particularly relaxed way to go about this dish. It pays off, too, keeping the shallots particularly sweet and juicy. If you want to speed the process up, then do this on the hob instead. Slice the shallots finely, then cook them over a low heat until golden before adding the cream. You could include some button mushrooms, finely sliced and added before the cream. On the hob, the mussels can be steamed in 2 or 3 minutes.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater
Peel 350g of large shallots and slice them in half lengthways. Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a shallow, lidded casserole, add the halved shallots and 6 small sprigs of thyme, then bake for 30 minutes until the shallots are pale gold.
Scrub the carrots, peel the parsnips and slice them from stalk to tip. Scrub and halve the artichokes. Put the carrots, parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes in a roasting tin. Trim the beetroots, leaving a small tuft on top (so they do not “bleed”), add them to the tin and pour over the olive oil.
The fried-shallot master who taught me how to make them always described the ideal thickness as "two credit cards pressed together." If you slice the shallots any thinner than that, they'll brown too quickly, before the water in them has been driven out and replaced by oil, resulting in a soggy, oily product.
Utterly crispy and caramelised in the air fryer, you can skip the deep fryer and all of the oil when it comes to these crispy little onion bits. Guilt-free and flavourful, these thin, light and crispy air-fried shallots are the ideal topping for almost any savoury dish.
First, after peeling and halving any large ones, you need to partially cook your vegetables in salted boiling water. This is known as 'par-cooking'. This technique, combined with tossing in flavoured oil and roasting until delicious and crisp, is just about the same for any root vegetables.
Set the oven at 180C fan/gas mark 6. Cut the squashes in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds and fibres. Place the squash hollow side up in a roasting tin, then divide the butter and thyme between them. Season with salt and black pepper and bake the squashes for 40 minutes until the flesh is soft and giving.
Shallots are small onions that have a mild, sweet taste and make a great substitute in recipes calling for their red or yellow cousins. Like any other onion, though, you will have to peel off the shallots' clingy skin before they can be eaten, which can be a tedious process.
Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
