1 post tagged “alliums”
I love alliums. Leeks, onions, shallots, scallions and garlic; I love love them all. So, much as I'm happy to see that spring weather is arriving, I miss the hearty allium bases to soups, stews and roasts in the warmer months. So today I made my farewell meal: slow cooked alliums, served on a split bread roll that had been covered in grated cheese.
Apart from making toast, this is the simplest cooking you can do. For each person, you just take about a quart of sliced onions, leeks and shallots in whatever proportions you like, add a bit of garlic, put them in a heavy pan with two spoons of olive oil, set the heat low and cover them with the lid. Set the heat very low. It should take more than five minutes for them to start heating through, because you want them to sweat and to soften, not to caramelise and burn.
Stir them every 10 or 15 minutes. You shouldn't need to touch them more frequently as they should take at least 90 minutes to cook, and anything up to three hours is fine. This isn't a race. After 45 minutes they should have started to soften and become pliable but should not be cooked all the way through.
After 90 minutes or more the volume taken up by the alliums should have reduced by about 75% and they should still be translucent and soft. They are ready to serve as is, or you can turn the heat up a bit and and caramelise a few to add a little colour.
It's simple (delicious) food and they're great as the main flavour in a dish. Alternatively, they make a great vegetable for a more substantial meal.
