Recipe

Fried Shallots & Fried Shallot Oil

by Dan Souza

Fried crispy shallots are one of my all-time favorite garnishes. Once you get used to having them on hand, they start to infiltrate your cooking in many delicious ways—try them in sandwiches, on salads, and on top of pureed soups, just to start. But this recipe is for Fried Shallot Oil as much as it is for Fried Shallots. Most oil used for home frying is destined for the trash, but this golden oil is infused with rich fried shallot flavor and has as many uses as the shallots themselves. (One of those uses: Fried Shallot Oil Mayonnaise.) The oil is also great in stir-fries and curries or as a garnish for soups and stews. We’ve got more recipes that use both the shallots and oil up our sleeves, so stay tuned.

Yield
Makes about 1½ cups (85 grams) Fried Shallots and about 1¾ cups (385 grams) Fried Shallot Oil
Ingredients
450 g shallots, peeled
440 g vegetable oil
1.5 g kosher salt
1 pound shallots, peeled
2 cups vegetable oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 450 g shallots, peeled
    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F/93 degrees C. Using mandoline, slice shallots 116 inch thick. Set fine-mesh strainer over heatproof bowl. Line baking sheet with double layer of paper towels.
    • 440 g vegetable oil
    Combine shallots and oil in medium saucepan and heat over high heat, stirring frequently, until shallots wilt and lose bright pink color and oil is bubbling vigorously over entire surface of pot, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until few shallots turn golden, 8 to 11 minutes longer.
  1. Reduce heat to medium-low so that oil is bubbling gently, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are deep golden, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
    • 1.5 g kosher salt
    Immediately strain oil into prepared bowl. Quickly spread shallots onto prepared sheet and sprinkle evenly with salt; stir shallots to incorporate salt and blot oil on paper towel. Slide shallots off paper towel directly onto sheet; discard paper towel. Bake until shallots are dry and firm to touch, 15 to 25 minutes. Let shallots and oil cool completely and store separately in airtight containers. (Shallots can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month; shallot oil can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 month.) 
Instructions
    • 1 pound shallots, peeled
    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F/93 degrees C. Using mandoline, slice shallots 1⁄16 inch thick. Set fine-mesh strainer over heatproof bowl. Line baking sheet with double layer of paper towels.
    • 2 cups vegetable oil
    Combine shallots and oil in medium saucepan and heat over high heat, stirring frequently, until shallots wilt and lose bright pink color and oil is bubbling vigorously over entire surface of pot, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until few shallots turn golden, 8 to 11 minutes longer.
  1. Reduce heat to medium-low so that oil is bubbling gently, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are deep golden, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    Immediately strain oil into prepared bowl. Quickly spread shallots onto prepared sheet and sprinkle evenly with salt; stir shallots to incorporate salt and blot oil on paper towel. Slide shallots off paper towel directly onto sheet; discard paper towel. Bake until shallots are dry and firm to touch, 15 to 25 minutes. Let shallots and oil cool completely and store separately in airtight containers. (Shallots can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month; shallot oil can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 month.)
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