Shallots and green onions can also make great companions.
It's true that both shallots and green onions are part of the overall onion family, but these two vegetables are more like cousins than siblings -- each with its own special qualities, tastes and uses. There are some recipes where you can substitute shallots or green onions, but in most cases, you'll want to use what the recipe calls for.
Shallots: Profile
Shallots are often found at higher-end grocery stores and farmers' markets.
At first glance, a shallot resembles a smaller version of an onion, since both share the same papery skin. However, open a shallot, and you'll often find it comes apart in cloves. Though the shallot shares the shape of a garlic clove, on the inside, it's closer to an onion.
In the taste department, shallots land between onions and garlic. While they tend to be sweeter and less sharp-tasting than most onions, they are also more pungent -- though not as concentrated in flavor as garlic. Like garlic and onions, shallots take well to frying, pickling, braising and roasting.
Shallots can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to six months, and are generally more expensive than onions.
Green Onions: Profile
Green onions are found in a wide range of stores.
Green onions are also often referred to as scallions, which is probably where a lot of confusion between shallots comes from. However, with their slender shape, white base and cylindrical green tops, green onions have little in common visually with shallots. The bulbs of green onions -- also referred to as "bunching onions" -- never get very big, even when fully mature. Sometimes farmers will sell the young versions of traditional onions as green onions.
In the taste department, green onions are milder than regular onions, and with their green tops, add a bit of texture and color to many recipes. They do especially well when grilled whole or gently sauteed, but are often used raw.
Green onions are often less expensive than regular onions, but are also highly perishable, and are best stored in a cold, humid place, such as in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge for seven to 10 days.
Common Uses of Shallots in Cooking.
Shallots are often used in French, Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine, where they are roasted with meats, sauteed and caramelized into a curry, or diced finely and mixed into yogurt. They can also be found in French vinaigrette instead of garlic, or pickled with cucumbers and other Indian spices. It is also possible to find crisp fried shallot chips in Asian grocery stores, where they're often used as a garnish for soups or rice dishes.
When substituting shallots for regular onions, use half as much as the recipe calls for; 1 cup of onions becomes 1/2 cup of shallots.
Common Uses of Green Onions in Cooking
Green onions are popular in many cuisines, and are often used raw as a finishing touch to a dish. From tuna salad to stir-fry, green onions provide a sharp and satisfying crunch to dishes. They're also featured to a lesser extent in baked or fried goods, such as the scallion pancake. Green onions are excellent roasted or braised, which brings out their sweetness and pairs with many meats and spring vegetables.
Green onions can often be substituted for regular onions in stir-fries and curries, provided you use just the white bottom part and not the green tops.
Substituting Green Onions and Shallots
In most cases, green onions and shallots are not good substitutes for each other. Some dishes where you could use either shallot or green onions include a yogurt sauce, soup, stir-fry or braising.
Substituting green onions will give you a slightly sharper, less pungent taste, and it's necessary to double the amount the recipe calls for. If substituting shallots for green onions, use half the amount the recipe calls for since they are more pungent, and add them earlier so the flavors mellow a bit.
Tags: green onions, often used, onions also, recipe calls, regular onions, green tops
