What is the shallot
Shallot (A. ascalonicum L.) is a plant belonging to the genus Allium, family of Liliaceae, the same as onion, garlic, leek and chives; not surprisingly, it is quite similar to onion even if it has considerably smaller dimensions.
The shallot has been cultivated since ancient times but what is strange is that there are NO purely spontaneous manifestations; therefore, going back to the possible area of origin is complicated. Historical documents place it both in Central Asia and in Palestine and Egypt, but not everyone agrees that it constitutes a spontaneous native plant; consequently, it is possible that even in these places it represented a post-cultural proliferation.
NB. Contrary to what many claim, shallot is NOT a cross between yellow onion and garlic, but a botanical species in its own right.
Cultivation
Shallots are grown similarly to onions; in the famous "rotation" of crops, they are always placed in the last place, therefore after the plants that exploit the soil the most. The shallot prefers a soft soil, rich in humus, better if previously fertilized with compost; it needs a soil covered (since the previous autumn) with mulch of dry leaves or straw, possibly inside a flowerbed placed in the sun. The nutritional supplement for the shallot soil consists of fertilizers rich in potassium (such as wood ash), useful for the possible association with carrots, but NOT by fertilizers rich in nitrogen (manure or manure); it is essential to ALWAYS avoid manure FRESH The shallot does not require special care, if not keeping the soil soft and free of weeds.
ATTENTION! The shallot has roots and adventitious bulbs that develop horizontally and it is not uncommon that, by hoeing, these are cut, damaging the mother plant.
Shallots have bulbs (or rather, cloves) of the size of a walnut, which must be buried in "tucked rows" (raised rows) to a depth that allows them to emerge for at least 1/3 of the total; the operation must be performed between February and April, keeping a distance of about 10cm between the plants and 40cm (always more than 25cm) between the rows. The shallot must be harvested when the leaves that surround it turn yellow .
NB. Shallot cloves can be produced independently by planting (separately and in greenhouses) the seeds very "thickly".
Combinations in the kitchen
The shallot is suitable for pairing with all food groups and the French, compared to the rest of Europe, are major consumers of it. At the same time, in Italy the first courses based on shallots and dry pasta (linguine with shallots) and based on shallots and rice (risotto in which it is used instead of onion) are well known; the dishes are no less important, among which recipes based on chicken and turkey breast, and fresh ham (pork leg) emerge. Even the shallot - fish combination does not disappoint; the most commonly used species are sea bass (sea bass), cod (or hake) and sole, but they are certainly not the only ones. Like onion, shallot is the "king" of omelettes and does not look bad even in association with highly structured cheeses such as gorgonzola or aged pecorino. Despite the intense flavor and aroma, the shallot also lends itself to the preparation of recipes with truffles without covering its specific characteristics. The shallot also enhances the taste of dishes containing peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, radicchio, broad beans, potatoes, turnips, squash and aubergines.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
To use it in collective lunches and dinners "by putting everyone in agreement", it is possible to exclude it from generic recipes and serve it separately in the form of "shallot sauce" or "scallion flavored oil".
Therapeutic properties
The shallot, like garlic and onion, has many "metabolic qualities"; it has some molecules (allicin or ajoene And adenosine) useful for: the regulation of blood pressure, diuresis, the reduction of platelet aggregation, the reduction of LDL cholesterol, the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, etc. vascular (as opposed to atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, etc.).
A study conducted by "World Organization of the Health (O.M.S.) on the long-lived population of Campodimele (Latina) has brought to light that, in the traditional diet of the place, one of the most consumed dishes is: bread with raw shallots (NOT COOKED) and extra virgin olive oil. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that, synergistically with other factors (eg the richness in antioxidants), a diet rich in raw shallots can reduce the overall cardiovascular risk.
Curiosity
Shallots, like onion and garlic, have a very high content of aromatic substances; these, which tend to "recur" during digestive belching, are misinterpreted as a sense of heaviness in the meal. In reality, the aromatic components do not have nothing to do with the digestibility of the shallot, which is lighter than other vegetables of greater consumption. Furthermore, again due to its aromatic characteristics, the shallot tends inexorably to make the breath worse; if necessary, it is possible to combat this unwanted effect by chewing raw vegetables, or rather, some aromatic herbs such as parsley, basil, mint and rocket.
Bibliography:
- The way of herbs. The use of spices in cooking - M. Crescenzi, R. Russo - Graphe.it Editions - page 39
- Vegetable garden and organic garden - M.L. Kreuter - Joints - page 157
- Hypertension. Treat it at the table - B. Brigo, G. Capano - New Techniques - pag. 48.
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