Saturday, November 24, 2007

Shallot Confit with Spiced Red Wine

There're always shallots in my kitchen. Shallots here are much longer than the small pungent bulbs we find back home. I put them in almost everything. A simple green salad with vinaigrette is so much better with some minced raw shallots. I also love a good steak topped with a pat of butter and sliced raw shallots as how it is served at Le Palatium, our favourite brasserie in Bordeaux. I love them cooked too, nicely caramelised. I found this recipe in a duck cookbook.

There's quite a funny story behind this cookbook. Shank had been raving about a cookbook on duck (his fav) that he chanced on at Virgin Megastore in Bordeaux. Since Christmas was coming, I thought I'd get him that book. I had no idea what the book looked like, who was the author, etc, I only knew it was a book on duck. So I searched all the bookstores in Amiens, but no luck. We were spending Christmas in Bordeaux that year. I went down only 3 days before Christmas - just 3 days to go and I didn't have a Christmas present yet. What if I didn't find the duck cookbook?! I rushed to Virgin, there was only one single duck cookbook in sight, so I decided that must have been it. I was so happy with my purchase (not to mention relieved)!

The funny part starts when we both put our presents under the Christmas tree. Hmmm, both presents had the same dimensions, same weight, same feel... We both had the same idea! What a laugh we had! We ended up with two copies of Le Canard de Julie. Shank admitted too that in addition to his duck passion, Julie was very pretty. I admit it's true. He has good taste. :) So what were we to do with 2 identical cookbooks? Shank wanted to keep both, but the practical side of me persuaded him to exchange one of them to another cookbook. But now, the romantic side of me is regretting that move. But then again, we wouldn't have had the Délicieuses Tartes Sucrées et Salées to make the wonderful tarts we made for our wedding.

Practicality wins?

Shallot confit with spiced red wine
from Le Canard de Julie by Julie Andrieu

2 tablespoons olive oil
500 g shallots
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 bottle red wine
3 star anise
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick cinammon
10 grains black pepper
4 cloves

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots to brown. Add the sugar and caramelise the onions for 5 minutes. Add the salt, wine, and the rest of the ingredients. Bring the mixture to boil and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. Serve at room temperature.

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