A low clump of slim green leaves, barely a hand high, splitting below ground into a bunch of gray- or pink-skinned bulbs: the shallot (Allium ascalonicum) is a staple of French cuisine, valued raw and cooked for a taste finer than onion. Give it full sun and poor, light, well-drained soil, and it asks almost nothing of you.
| Name | Allium ascalonicum |
|---|---|
| Family | Alliaceae |
| Type | vegetable |
| Height | 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | light, drained |
| Flowering | summer |
| Harvest | midsummer to late summer |
Caring for shallot from planting to harvest won’t burden you in any way while guaranteeing you excellent results.
Shallot is a perennial, but in cooler climates it is grown as an annual.
There, it disappears in winter and will only rarely reappear the following year.
Shallot is should be planted during waning moon for best results.
Bulb planting is possible all winter long if your soil allows for it, i.e., it mustn’t stay damp. Raised gardening is an excellent way to ensure this.
If you expect heavy rain and high residual soil moisture, wait for the end of winter, even until early spring and mid-spring to plant your bulbs.
Not so common but also perfectly possible, you may sow your shallot from seed.
Harvesting shallot
Upon harvesting, in midsummer, pull out the bunches and dry them in the sun in a breezy place for two to three days. Using a grelinette makes the job really easy.
Take note that gray shallots, although the most common variety, only keep until early winter.
If you hope to keep your shallots all winter long, prefer Jersey shallots which have a pinkish hue and taste just as good.
The shallots on offer fall into a few clear groups, and the choice comes down to flavour and to how long you need the bulbs to keep. Here is what the article says about each.
| Shallot type | Named varieties | Flavour | Keeps until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gray shallot | ‘Griselle’, ‘Grisor’ | Considered the “original”; chefs rate it more delicate than pink | Early winter only, though it is the most common variety |
| Pink shallot | ‘Bretor’, ‘Delvad’, ‘Jermor’, ‘Pesandor’, ‘Rondeline’ | Good, but judged less delicate than gray | Not stated |
| Jersey shallot | ‘Ronde de Jersey’ | Pinkish hue and tastes just as good | Right through winter |
Grow gray shallots for the table and Jersey shallots for the store cupboard.
Shallot is part of the same family as onion, and is a staple of French cuisine thanks to its delicate refined taste.
A spice vegetable, it complements dishes and sauces that strive to make it into the “fine dining” category, both raw and cooked.
Shallot has rather high vitamin C and B levels, as well as trace elements and antioxidants. It is among the alliums that support treatments against cancer and other imbalances of the human body.
… gray shallots, considered to be the “original” shallots. They are sought after for their taste which is deemed, by Chefs, more delicate than that of pink shallots.
Shallot has very high magnesium content, grow it and boost your health status!
