Sweet Braised Shallots

This is a dish that we used to demand of my uncle each Christmas when he returned from America. When he showed me how he made it one year I was baffled by how simple it was. Looking back, this basic collection of ingredients was really one of my first realisations of how much potential some simple ingredients can have.

Instructions

Step 1

Ingredients

Step 2

Start by halving and peeling the shallots. You want to be able to cover the base of a frying pan, so how many you do depends entirely on how big your pan is.

Step 3

Melt the butter in the pan.

Step 4

When the butter starts to foam, place the shallots, cut side down into the pan, turn the heat down to medium.

Step 5

Allow them to cook slowly until they are golden on the bottom and soft all the way through. Usually around half an hour, but keep coming back every few minutes to check on them.

Step 6

When they are cooked through, sprinkle the sugar over the top. Then add in the red wine and the balsamic vinegar.

Step 7

Continue cooking for another forty five minutes or so. You want to reduce the wine and balsamic into a syrup that will coat the shallots. Enjoy with pretty much anything!