The Ingredient of the Week - Shallots

I love to cook and I love to eat. I am always curious about how to use different ingredients and though I am often tempted to try a cooking class or two, I never get around to it so most of my culinary skills are self-taught. Sometimes the ideas come straight from the Internet, cookbook, or my favorite cooking show. Sometimes they are a variation of something I've had before that I liked. (I always add my own twist because as I'm told, I just can't leave good enough alone.) And other times just an idea that I thought might be a good combination.

That said, I have started a mid-year's resolution. I am going to learn how to use a new ingredient each week. Sometimes it may be a spice. Others a new vegetable. I might even experiment with some fish (I don't like it but it's supposed to be good for you and there has to be at least one variety out there that I can eat....)

This week I tried the shallot. First I have to say that I was embarrassed when I went to the grocery store and didn't even know what one looked like. For years, I have always thought leeks were shallots. I stand corrected.

I have made a couple things over the past few days. The first was a Rachael Ray Maple Balsamic Gravy. I made it for ham, peas, and scalloped potatoes. I really like to mix my food together so I enjoyed it.

The real winner was the shallot cream sauce. I made it twice and the second version turned out to be delicious. It is a really simple sauce but tastes like it was a lot of work. (As my mom put it, this is a dish you make for company.)

It is not a very scientific recipe after I start messing with it so you can add as much or as little of anything you like. But here is what I made for dinner last night.

Chicken

2-4 chicken breasts (depending on how many you are serving)

2 eggs

1 c. Flour

1 c. Bread crumbs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

Vegetable oil

Heat oil in a frying pan. Mix bread crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil on a plate. Tenderize chicken. Dip in egg. Coat in flour. Dip in egg again. Then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Brown each side of chicken in the heated oil.

Shallot Cream Sauce

3 T. butter

1 shallot (minced)

1 clove of garlic (minced)

2 T. flour

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. cream

salt to taste

Melt butter. Saute minced shallot and garlic until they are a carmel color. Add the flour and whisk together. Add the chicken broth and stir. Finally stir in the cream and salt. Once it thickens, you can simmer until you are ready to put on the chicken.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did...