Serves 6

You might not usually think about serving shallots as a vegetable, but they’re more flavorful and delicate than boiling onions. It’s a perfect accompaniment for an everyday roast chicken, but special enough to serve on a holiday with a standing rib roast. You can peel the shallots in advance and then just give them a quick sauté and throw them into oven before dinner.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact
(To peel shallots easily, drop them into a pot of boiling water for less than 1 minute. Drain, then remove skins).
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
(Use Cabernet Sauvignon red wine vinegar from Williams-Sonoma).
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter in a 12 inch ovenproof sauté pan, add the shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and toss well. Place the sauté pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.