I was looking at some recipes that call for a shallot (as in one).
But, when I went to the store some shallots had two…bulbs…in one single wrapping of the dry “paper” that encases them. Then, I saw other shallots which had been broken up. The bulbs were separate.
So, which is “one” shallot?
(not to mention their size can vary a lot)
You can kinda see it in this pic:
I’d say the first variant (two bulbs in one wrapper) counts as one. With shallots, I do the same as I do with onions—I decide what the “average” size is and proceed accordingly. If I want more, I just pick a bigger onion. If I want less, I go with a smaller one. If it fits in the palm of your hand, it’s probably right.
A ‘standard’ sized prisma shallot (the kind typically found in grocery stores) is about the diameter of a ping pong ball across its width and usually slightly flattened. ‘Twin’ shallots are usually about the same collectively, although I have been seeing some ‘giant’ doubled shallots that are each that size, together almost approaching the size of a small onion. The taste of shallots are mild compared to red onion or sweet onion (and much less pungent than garlic) so it doesn’t really hurt to go a little larger, especially in sauté.
Stranger
Yep. Go by your tastes.
100% agree but, when I try a new recipe, my process is to follow what the writer wanted as closely as possible. I’ll then make notes and adjust in the future (if I make it again).
I use as many individual shallot bulbs as gets me to a small onion. About like this:
Sometimes it’s one good-sized shallot, sometimes it’s a couple of small ones.
And that’s shallot.
(Oh come on, someone had to)
~Groan!~ 
Took me a second to get, until I remembered you guys across the pond say it differently. In the US, it’s generally SHALL-it.
I’ve know people who pronounce it faux-French, as SHAL-Low. I’ve tried to correct them, but it doesn’t stick.
And I agree with others: one of them things covered in skin is one shallot, not matter how many bulbs are inside.
This kind of question is one example of why I prefer recipes not call out for amounts like that, or “one medium-size onion.” What’s wrong with specifying a particular volume or weight of prepared (diced, sliced or whatever) item?
Because I don’t want to chop 7/8 of an onion, and for most recipes it doesn’t matter if the onion is a little larger or smaller than normal
In that case, the recipe could indicate that the amount listed is only approximate rather than thinking that what they think medium sized is what I think is medium sized.
I think that would be obvious? Should the recipe specify “approximately one onion”?
I would prefer that. Keep in mind that when I am following a recipe, I am an idiot and also quite literal.
Most recipes aren’t nearly as precise as some people would like to think. There’s a lot of room for fudging.
Recipe writers consider on average 1 shallot is 1 ounce (28 grams) or about 1 tablespoon when peeled and chopped.
But remember that most recipes allow for a good deal of variation (“to taste”), especially in flavoring ingredients like shallots.
I concur. And I use shallots every year in my much loved turkey stuffing/dressing. Instead of onions I used about half a bulb per dish- one in the bird, and one in a casserole to be baked, Maybe a whole bulb.
That’s how I do it when I’m working in the kitchen. If the recipe says “mince one shallot” and my shallots are small, I might mince three. Or chop one and mince one.
Agree. Then again, if all I have are huge volleyball sized onions, I’ll mince the entire onion and then put 3/4 of it into a ziplock bag for use over the next few days.