🧅 Shallot

Shallots are a gourmet cousin of the onion, with a finer, sweeter flavour that chefs prize. Unlike onions, one planted set multiplies into a cluster of six to a dozen bulbs, which makes them a very productive crop for a small amount of space.

They are easier than onions in many ways: more reliable in wet years, less likely to bolt and happy in poorer soils. They are grown from sets (small bulbs), which you can buy in late winter or save from your own crop.

Varieties to try

Griselle (grey, excellent flavour and storage)Red Sun (red-skinned, easy)Golden Gourmet (large, reliable)Jermor (large, long, banana-shaped)Longor (long, elegant bulbs)

Plant sets from late February to April when the soil is workable, in a sunny, open site with free-draining soil. Push each set in so that the tip is just visible, 15–20 cm apart in rows 30 cm apart. Birds may pull newly planted sets out, so firm them in and net or fleece them for the first few weeks.

Shallots can also be planted in autumn in mild areas for an earlier crop, using suitable varieties. Avoid overly rich or freshly manured soil, which encourages leaf growth and poor ripening. Raised beds and light soils suit shallots well.

Top tips

• Plant sets with the tip showing above ground.
• Net after planting to stop birds pulling sets up.
• Choose firm, healthy sets about 2–3 cm across.
• Avoid very rich, freshly manured soil.

Keep the bed weeded and water only in dry spells while the plants establish. Stop watering from early July to let the bulbs ripen. As the clusters swell, gently pull a little soil away from the bulbs to let the sun reach them and speed ripening. They need little or no feeding.

Problems are similar to onions: white rot, downy mildew, onion fly and neck rot. Rotate crops on a four-year plan, avoid overcrowding and remove any diseased plants as soon as you see them. Birds and slugs can damage newly planted sets.

Top tips

• Stop watering in early July.
• Pull soil back from the bulbs in midsummer.
• Rotate with other alliums on a four-year plan.
• Remove any yellowing plants quickly.

Watch out for

Onion white rotDowny mildewOnion flyBirds pulling up sets

Shallots are ready to lift from July, when the foliage turns yellow and begins to die back. Ease clumps out of the ground with a fork on a dry day, and separate the bulbs by hand. Lay them out in a warm, airy place or on a wire rack for two to three weeks to dry fully.

Rub off loose soil and old skin, but do not wash them. Pick out any with thick necks or damage and use these first. Save a few of the best, smallest bulbs to replant next spring.

Top tips

• Dry in a warm, airy spot for two to three weeks.
• Do not wash shallots you intend to store.
• Save 2–3 cm sets for replanting.
• Use thick-necked bulbs first.

Shallots are mild and sweet, ideal for vinaigrettes, sauces, roasting whole and caramelising. Their fine layers melt into dishes without overpowering them, and they are the classic base for béarnaise, beurre blanc and French-style stews. Small ones are perfect for pickling.

Cured shallots keep for six to eight months in nets or trays in a cool, dry, frost-free place, often longer than onions. Peeled and chopped shallots can be frozen in small bags. Check regularly for rot, and use any soft bulbs promptly.

Top tips

• Roast whole in their skins until soft and sweet.
• Pickle small shallots in vinegar for a jar to enjoy all winter.
• Store in nets or trays with good airflow.
• Chop and freeze for quick cooking.