How to Peel a Shallot

Peeling shallots requires just a few steps.

A relative of the onion, the smaller, sweeter shallot brightens salad dressings when minced and blended raw, but it also provides a distinctive flavor to sauces when sautéed. They are similar to garlic in that they have multiple cloves under papery skin. You can roast them whole and serve them with other roasted vegetables. Peeling these small vegetables is necessary before including them in a recipe.

Things You'll Need

• Paring or utility knife
• Cutting board

Instructions

1. Pull the cloves of the shallot apart if necessary. Shallots are often composed of two or more cloves that need separating before peeling.

2. Place the shallot on the cutting board and hold carefully with your fingertips.

3. Slice the root ends of the shallot off with a paring or utility knife.

4. Start at one tip and peel the thin, papery skin away from the vegetable with your fingers, working your way lengthwise until the entire peel is removed. If the peel isn't coming off easily, take the knife and make a thin slice lengthwise down the shallot skin to provide an additional starting point.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are peeling a large amount of shallots and can afford to lose a slight amount of flavor, drop them into pot of boiling water and steep for one to two minutes. Remove from heat, drain and cool. The shallots should pop easily out of their skins.

References

• Bon Appetit: Shallots
• Big Oven: Shallots
• The World Wide Gourmet: French Shallot

Resources

• Epicurious: Shallot Recipes