Tricks, Tips and a Recipe
Shall we discuss . . . shallots?
By: Leanne Ely
Happy Tuesday, Y’all!
It’s time once again for Tricks, Tips and a Recipe. Today you’ll learn a tip, a trick and you’ll get a great recipe to try it out with. Neat, huh?
Don’t forget tomorrow is the radio show, Saving Dinner with the Dinner Diva! The show is on every Wednesday at noon EST and is almost always LIVE. Bookmark this page and show up tomorrow–www.blogtalkradio.com/flylady and remember you can call in LIVE with your questions–about food, cooking, nutrition, anything you can think of! If you can’t listen live, you can always listen to the archives and now you can even send in your questions and listen to Leanne answer them on a future show! Just email Dear Leanne at Saving Dinner dot com.
It’s not an onion . . . it’s not garlic . . . it’s a shallot!
Shallots belong to the family of root vegetables. They grow in clusters and they’re less pungent than onions and garlic, making them a favorite ingredient of chefs all over the world.
Shallots aren’t only smaller than onions, but they’re also more nutritious.
Shallots contain several antioxidants including kemferfol and quercetin, as well as compounds which convert to allicin when the surface of the vegetable is cut and crushed. Allicin can reduce cholesterol and has anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
Shallots are also rich in iron, calcium, copper, phosphorus and potassium.
Use shallots in soups and stews, on pizza, in stuffing and in pasta. They’re delicious on burgers and in curries as well.
When shopping for shallots, buy clean, well-formed bulbs with dry skin. Avoid shallots with soft spots, sprouts or any signs of black mold.
Here’s your Trick:
Shallots don’t have a long shelf life—use them within a week of purchase. If you store them in the fridge, use them as soon as you take them out. Shallots won’t last when kept at room temperature for any amount of time.
And your Tip:
Trim the ends of the shallot with a paring knife before peeling the outer 2 or 3 layers of skin. Use the flesh whole or slice and cut into rings. Shallots will cook faster than onions because they are smaller.
And your Recipe:
Crock Cooker Split Pea Soup with Sausage
Serves 2 to 3
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 pound low fat smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 pound green split peas
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped shallot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove pressed garlic
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, lightly brown sausage slices (you are not cooking them all the way through). Drain grease from sausage and blot off any excess.
In a crock cooker, combine all ingredients, except pepper. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high setting for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaves and season with pepper before serving.
SERVING SUGGESTION: A relish tray of baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and celery sticks; you can also add some crusty bread.
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