Shallots: features, cultivation and use

Shallots are especially appreciated by gourmets for their delicate, soft taste, juiciness, absence of strong smell. It is actively used in French cuisine.However, shallots can be grown in domestic climatic conditions in order to enjoy its exquisite taste all year round.

Shallots are varieties of onion and also have names such as Alexandrian, potato, family, and bush. The Middle East is considered the birthplace of this species, and since the 13th century, shallot has become known in Europe. In the East, it was originally grown in Palestine, where it was called “escalot”, later on this name was transformed into the existing one.

The plant is a biennial, in the first year after sowing the seed, a seed onion is formed, which is planted in the next season to harvest. One seed forms a large nest of several onions, due to which shallots are also called forty-toothed. Depending on the variety and characteristics of care, this nest may consist of 5-20 bulbs.

The description of the vegetable usually includes an indication of early ripeness: the crop is harvested about 70 days after planting. If we talk about more accurate terms, they are due to climatic and weather conditions. In different regions, the period of harvest may vary within 10-14 days.

The optimum temperature for growing this variety is 19-20 ° C, but it is characterized by frost resistance and is able to withstand a short-term decrease in temperature to 2-5 ° C. High yield is another feature of shallots. Planted in a suitable soil with proper care, one bulb gives a nest of crop weighing 200-300 g. Up to 3-4 kg of bulbs and up to 5 kg of greens are harvested from 1 m2.

Perennial shallots contain large amounts of vitamin C, as well as vitamins of group B, PP. It contains potassium, magnesium, iron, sulfur, as well as essential oils, fiber, and sugar. The calorie content of raw onion heads is about 35 kcal, and the nutritional value of greens is 18 kcal.

Shallot has a pronounced immune-strengthening, anti-cold and antibacterial action. It is useful for the cardiovascular system, stimulates digestion, and has a positive effect on blood formation processes. Harm from shallot is possible with its unwise consumption and the presence of contraindications. The latter include individual intolerance, acute stages of gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis.

As mentioned above, shallots are a type of bulb. The most common "representative" of the latter is the universal yellow onion. If you compare shallots with it, it turns out that the forty-shrew contains more vitamins (especially C), mineral components and sugars. In this regard, its healing properties are somewhat higher, and the nutritional value is lower.

• Externally, shallots are smaller and, in contrast to the traditional "turnip", have a more elongated shape. The mass of the first reaches 15-45 g, while for the second the average weight is 50-70 g. Shallot is more branched, as well as golden onions, are characterized by good keeping quality.
• Family onions grow in nests, and the "turnip" is always one onion. If you cut a shallot, you will see several zones with rudiments, while the bulb demonstrates concentric rings.
• Externally, shallot bulbs grown in different regions may vary. When cultivating a variety in the northern regions, the flesh of the vegetable usually acquires a yellowish tint, in the southern - lilac. At the same time, northern varieties are usually slightly bitter than southern ones.
• Early ripeness is also a feature of shallots: the crop can be removed as early as 70 days after planting. At the same time, the culture is not afraid of low temperatures and fluctuations, which invariably persist between day and night temperatures in late May and early June. Unlike onions, even a shallot planted in insufficiently heated soil will not start to shoot and give a good harvest.
• In damp and cold soil, the shallot quickly forms the root system, and then, with the appearance of a sufficient level of heat on the surface, it releases greens. Thanks to this feature, you can plant it in the winter under the snow.
• Green shallot feathers stay tender longer, they are thinner, go well with hot dishes and salads. The bulb of shallot has almost no unpleasant onion smell, and when cutting at the culinary specialist, tears do not run into my eyes. Shallot is characterized by a delicate, delicate, sweetish taste and a somewhat spicy aroma. This has led to its widespread fresh use - salads, snacks, sandwiches, meat and fish acquire pleasant savory notes when adding shallots.

Shallots have several varieties, which differ in appearance and flavor characteristics, ripening periods, characteristic of a particular region.

• For example, seed onions Airat is mid-season and has a mild, but quite spicy taste. The average yield is about 1.5 kg per 1 m2. The nest usually contains no more than 5-7 bulbs, the mass of each is not more than 20 g. The fruits are round, covered with golden husk.

• If the sharpness of "Ayrat" seems excessive, you should pay attention to "Garnet". The name of this variety was due to the shade of the husk - it has a brownish-reddish color with a gray tint. This mid-season variety shows larger onions (up to 30 g), which are collected in nests. The yield is higher and is 2-2.4 kg per 1 m2. The grade differs in universality - in food both greens, and heads are used.
• Onions have a similar semi-sharp taste. Siberian Amberhaving golden amber husks. It refers to mid-season. Bulb weight - up to 30 g, yield - up to 2 kg per 1 m2.
• Mid-season variety "Sturdy" demonstrates increased resistance to bolting and rot. It is distinguished by its larger bulb size, which can reach 50 g. Taking into account that up to 5-7 bulbs mature in the nest, the yield of the variety is slightly more than 2 kg per 1 m2.

• Early ripe variety "Vitamin basket" It has a spicy taste. Medium bulbs weighing - 30 g. Crop contains an increased amount of ascorbic acid. It also contains vitamins of group B, the green feather contains folic acid.
• Early seasoning varieties with a sharp taste are also "Cascade", "Emerald", "Belozerotz 94".

• The variety also has a sweet, delicate taste. "Delicacy". The name itself indicates the exquisite taste of small golden onions with white juicy flesh.
• Family bow "Knyazhich" has a more elliptical shape. The weight of the shallot is about 250 g, which is distributed between 7-8 onion nests. The grade belongs to mid-season, has pulp which is snow-white with a lilac shade.
• An interesting harvest gives shallot "Primalis". Bulbs of various sizes are formed in the nest, their weight ranges from 10 to 40 mg. The flesh of the bulbs is white, with a purple tinge.
• Popular with gardeners and varieties such as "Berezovsky aristocrat", "Snowball", "Star", "Sprut", "Ural Red", "Afonya".
• The sweetest variety is "Banana". This early ripe cold-resistant onion has a very elongated shape of the bulbs and a golden tinge of husk. Its taste and juiciness are highly valued by cooks all over the world, it is often used as an independent dish, for example, in pickled form.

Shallot onions are planted with seeds or in a vegetative way, that is, by dredging into the ground of onion lobules. When using seeds, they should be planted in spring, but this method is more suitable for the southern regions. In more northern regions, onion from seeds often does not have time to ripen.

Shallot loves fertile soils with a normal level of acidity. Light and loose sandy and loamy soils will do. Landing site should be spacious and well-lit: the plant belongs to the light-requiring. Soil preparation needs to be done in the fall, having dug up the plot and adding humus at the rate of 5-6 kg per 1 m 2 of land.

In the spring, you need to re-dig the plot to a shallow depth and enrich the soil with minerals. Ammonium nitrate (15-20 g per 1 m2), calcium chloride (15 mg per 1 m2), superphosphates (25 g per 1 m2) are suitable for these purposes.

This culture participates in the crop rotation, therefore, the elimination of shallot allows for the annual change of the place of its planting. The most successful "predecessors" in the garden for shallot are legumes, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, "neighbors" - carrots. You should not plant shallots near other varieties of onions, as it will interbreed and degenerate. It is possible to return to the former landing site no more than 1 time in 4 years.

Bulbs also need preparation. They need to go through, refusing to plant damaged, rotten, soft, too large and small. It is optimal if the mass of the lobule is 9-10 mg, and the diameter is no more than 3 cm.

Due to the larger supply area, this species requires keeping the distance between the beds at least 30 cm, between saplings - 15 cm. Before planting, furrows must be made on the beds, which must be well moistened. You can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

When planting seed in the spring, it is deepened by 5-6 cm, in the fall - by 10-12 cm. Like all types of onions, shallots are planted bottom down, and a layer of soil should rise 2-3 cm above the neck of the bulb.

Seed for breeding can be used no more than 5-6 years, because after this period, the bulbs begin to shrink. To restore the former yield allows the renewal of the crop by the method of sowing seeds. Obtained during the cultivation of the crop for the next year is used as a seed.

12-15 days after planting, green feathers appear. From this point on, the plant needs special care, which involves observing the irrigation schedule and fertilizing, weeding and loosening the soil.

During the growing season (and this is about 2 months), shallots on average require 4 feedings. The first one is carried out, 2.5 weeks after the mass regrowth of greenery, using for this purpose poultry manure or mullein diluted in water (1 part of organic matter per 10 parts of pure water). Consumption - liter of diluted composition on a plot of 10 m2. Thanks to this procedure, the roots are strengthened, feeding increases their growth.

During the beginning of the formation of the bulbs in the nest, a second feeding with superphosphate and potassium chloride is carried out. This allows you to increase the mass and size of the bulbs, a beneficial effect on their taste. When the onion has been formed and has begun to grow in mass, it should refrain from watering and adding supplements, since this will contribute to an increase in green mass to the detriment of fruiting.

Larger bulbs can also be obtained by removing 2-3 shoots in early July. Leave should be 3-4 central escape. It is also necessary to remove the arrows until they reach a height of 10 cm.Growing shallots allows you to select a certain pattern - the more onions in the nest, the smaller the crop will be. However, this quantity can be influenced: it is enough to otgresti earth a little and remove excess slices.

Onions do not require frequent watering, since excess moisture and its stagnation in the soil are unacceptable. This can provoke seed and crop rot and increase the risk of developing diseases. In case of a sufficient precipitation norm, it is possible to completely abandon irrigation, and in more dry seasons, water once a week. Additional watering may be necessary onions in the early days of the appearance of green feathers. In general, a week requires no more than 3 irrigations. Use defended warm water. 20-25 days before harvesting, watering should stop.

You can grow shallots not only at the cottage or a private plot, but also at home on a windowsill. Harvest in this case will, of course, not the bulbs, and greens. As with outdoor cultivation, care is reduced to regular loosening of the soil, following the schedules of fertilizer application and irrigation.

It is quite common for a shallot to be attacked by an onion fly, which deposits its larvae in its green rosettes. This leads to whitening of the tips of the feathers, their fading, and then - the rotting of the bulbs. Prevention of the appearance of a fly is loosening the soil, scares its smell of wormwood, tansy - the grass can be decomposed in a dry form into the aisle. The rags moistened with turpentine act in a similar way.

Onion nematode (small worm) can also leave the gardener without a crop. On the infection of the plant shows the curvature of the ends of the bulbs. However, it can be saved if the hour is kept in hot enough (45 ° C) water under a lid.

Garden ala to taste young shoots of green onions. You can get rid of it by spraying the plant with a concentrated solution of chamomile, decoction of potato peel or special preparations diluted according to the instructions (Vercillin is among the most famous).

To get rid of powdery mildew and fusarium, the drug “Kvadris” allows. As a preventive measure, before planting, onions can be etched for half an hour with the preparation “Maxim”. The latter is diluted in 25 drops in 1 liter of water. In the fight against fungal diseases, Mikosan, Pentafag showed the highest efficiency.

Evidence that the harvest is ready for harvesting is lodging of greenery. Before that, it becomes a little tougher, sometimes it turns yellow. Onions should not be collected ahead of time, as it will not have good keeping quality and will begin to germinate during storage. It is better to use for storage medium and late ripening varieties that are planted in the spring. Winter and early ripe shallot have the worst keeping quality.

After drying, the onion leaves are cut off, and they themselves are woven into clusters and suspended in a dry, well-ventilated, darkened place. You can also harvest in mesh nets and hang. In this form, leave the onions for 20-30 days, after which the nests are disassembled into bulbs, remove the clods of earth.

Family onions are characterized by good keeping quality, retaining their taste and benefits for 8-12 months from the moment of harvest. For storage, you can use wooden or cardboard boxes, wicker packaging.You can put a bow on the lower shelves of the refrigerator or tie into nylon stockings and hang.

The optimum storage temperature is 8-10 ° C when it comes to yield. Seeds are stored at 15-20 ° C. The permissible humidity level is no more than 60-70%.

Both green feathers and onion shallot heads are widely used in cooking. Due to the special structure of the pulp and delicate taste, onions are used in fresh salads, preparations for the winter. It is the main ingredient of the famous onion soup and Laurent onion pie, as well as pickled pickles served with meat. Shallots are made into sauces, marinated for winter, and added to fish, vegetable and meat dishes.

Shallots, unlike the onions, have a more delicate flavor that does not drown out the sound of the other ingredients. On the contrary, with its sweet or semi-sharp taste it introduces new shades into the dish, making it more refined.

Green onions can be used fresh or dried for the winter. To do this, without washing the greens, you need to finely chop, put in one layer in a dry, well-ventilated place. Keep it for a week, regularly turning. It is recommended to dry the greens in a special dryer for fruits and vegetables.

Below are the most famous recipes based on shallots. First of all we will focus on the soup, which, as the reviews indicate, is especially successful from sweet varieties of shallot.

For its preparation will require:

• 500-600 grams of shallots;
• 1 carrot;
• chicken fillet 500-600 g;
• 1 baguette;
• cheese;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• bunch of parsley;
• 200 ml of dry wine;
• butter and vegetable oil;
• salt, pepper, star anise, cloves.

Rinse the fillet, put it in a saucepan, add water. Put carrots and one onion there, boil broth. Peel the remaining onion, cut it in half and then in half rings.

Send in a saucepan heated with butter and simmer for about 20 minutes, preventing burning. Moisture should evaporate from the bow, while it should remain juicy and tender. After a specified time, you need to pour a little water, pour in the wine and stew for another 7-10 minutes.

Baguette cut into cubes and fry in butter. For the aroma, add garlic while warming the oil, which is then removed. Cut the cheese into thin slices of small size.

Strain the broth and carefully pour to the onion mass, put on the fire and bring to a boil. The next step is to pour the soup into a pot for baking, put the slices of cheese and send it to the oven preheated to 200 ° C until the cheese melts. Serve, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and croutons.

This dish is marinated vegetables and sweet shallots are very appropriate in this case. Small young onions with a sweet or semi-sharp taste should be selected.

To prepare the marinade will require:

• 1 l of water;
• 6 teaspoons of sugar;
• 4 teaspoons of salt;
• 6 allspice and 10 black peppercorns;
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar;
• 2 bay leaves.

Put the water on the fire, bring to a boil and put all the ingredients except vinegar. Soak the marinade on the fire for another 5-7 minutes, remove from the heat and then pour the vinegar. Stir and let stand 10-15 minutes.

Peel the bulbs, rinse under cold water. Banks sterilize. Put the onions on the bottom of the cans, pour them with marinade and roll them up. Turn the jars lids down and in this form, preheat, leave until fully cooled.

Onions marinated in this recipe have a sweet and sour taste, pleasant rosemary notes and a wine aroma. It will be the best complement to meat, kebabs, grilled vegetables.

It is necessary to take:

• 300 g shallots;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• Bay leaf;
• 50 ml of red balsamic vinegar;
• 30 grams of sugar;
• a couple of rosemary twigs;
• 120 ml of dry red wine.

Peel the onions and garlic. Put sugar on the bottom of a small saucepan and heat it until caramel is formed (you can add a tablespoon of water). In the resulting composition caramelize shallot for 2-3 minutes. Add wine and balsamic vinegar here and leave on the fire until boiling. After that add rosemary, garlic, bay leaf and simmer another 7-10 minutes. Transfer to banks, leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 3 days.

This onion will not only be an excellent snack, but can also be used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes.

You will need to take:

• 2 onions;
• 70 g of dry white wine;
• 50 g of flour;
• salt, pepper - to taste;
• frying oil.

Peel and chop the onion. Make a batter from flour and wine by adding salt and pepper. Flour may require a little more or less. The consistency of the dough should be sour cream. Preheat a skillet with high sides or a saucepan, pour vegetable oil. It is necessary to choose such ware and to pour so much oil that the ringlets floated in batter, not sticking to the bottom. When the oil warms up, onions are fried on both sides. The finished dish should first be laid out on paper napkins to remove excess fat. Instead of wine, you can use water or kefir.

In the next video you will find a full cycle of growing shallots, from planting to storage.