Crunchy Fried Shallots

Add crunch and flavour to your salads, top your baked potato with texture, or add these to a sandwich or wrap for an even better lunchtime treat! Crunchy Fried Shallots are crispy and seasoned with one of the most underrated seasoning blends. You have got to try this one!

Unlike onions, shallots also tend to become more popular in the fall. I cook with shallots often, but not regularly. I actually prefer them over onions, because I find they are a little sweeter and have less oniony flavour. But, they do cost a little more than onions. For this Crunchy Fried Shallots recipe, the extra cost is totally worth it!

If you can find shallots, or if you can afford the extra money, then you can use regular white or yellow onions in this recipe too. Will the dish be that different if you substitute the shallots for onions? No. Please note that onions tend to take a little longer to cook, but if you slice them super thin, the cooking time should be the same. Remember that onions are not as delicate as shallots, so the oniony flavour will certainly be more pronounced.

Either way you slice it, (see what I did there?) you will need five or six shallots or one large white or yellow onion. Now. let’s talk about how to make these and a little about what seasoning makes them taste so good. If you haven’t already guessed what the seasoning is based on the photos, I will tell you – it’s Old Bay Seasoning! It’s one of my favourite seasoning blends!

OLD BAY SEASONING

Here’s a bit of trivia for you. Did you know that Old Bay Seasoning was developed by a German immigrant to Maryland, US, in 1939? Fresh crab was so popular in the area that local bars used to cook them up and give them to their patrons for free – kinda like some bars nowadays with bowls of peanuts. Well, to encourage patrons to buy more drinks at the bar, the seasoning blend was invented by Gustav Brunn with excess amounts of salt; the more seasoned crab patrons ate, the thirstier they became!

The seasoning mix includes mustard, paprika, celery salt, bay leaf, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, mace, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger. The seasoning is mostly used to season crab and shrimp, but it can also be used in chowders and stews.

But, with a seasoning blend as delicious as Old Bay, why stop there? The seasoning could also be used as a topping on popcorn, salads, eggs, fried chicken, French fries, corn on the cob, baked potato, potato salad, and even homemade potato chips.  Quite versatile, isn’t it!?

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Oil – You can use vegetable or canola, or any other light frying oil.
• Shallots – Peel the shallots and slice them very thinly into little circles. If using onions instead, you can halve them rather than ending up with really big circles.
• Buttermilk – This will tenderize and mellow the oniony flavour. It will also help the shallots become crispier when fried.
• Flour – All-purpose flour is what I used.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Old Bay Seasoning – In essence, this is the star of this recipe and is the flavour you want when all is said and done.

WHAT IS BUTTERMILK?

Buttermilk is the liquid that is left behind after churning butter made from cream. The stuff we buy in the store is not pure buttermilk though. What we buy is cultured buttermilk which has had bacteria added to it and allowed to ferment.

You’ll note that buttermilk has a slightly sour taste and smell – much like sour cream! But, don’t worry; it’s not spoiled and you can consume it safely without getting sick.

Did you know that you can make your own buttermilk at home? Yes! If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own. Just stir one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar into a cup of whole milk. It will not be as thick as store-bought, cultured buttermilk, but it will do the trick!

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE CRUNCHY FRIED SHALLOTS

Peel the shallots and cut them thinly into circles. The slices should be just a tad shy of 1/4 inch thick. Pop the sliced shallots into a bowl and pour over the buttermilk. Set the onions aside to soak for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the flour mixture.

Add the flour, salt, ground black pepper, and half of the Old Bay Seasoning to a large bowl and whisk gently to combine. Set that aside and add the oil to a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven. Or, if you have a deep fryer, you can use that as well. Once the shallots have been marinating for 30 minutes, heat the oil to 350 degrees F.

Use tongs to lift the sliced shallots out of the buttermilk and drop them into the bowl of flour. Once all of the shallots are in the bowl, toss them well to coat. Discard the buttermilk. Once the oil is hot enough, fry the shallots in batches until golden brown and crisp. Drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle over the remaining Old Bay Seasoning. Serve immediately.

STORING LEFTOVERS

If you have any leftovers, or if you are preparing these Crunchy Fried Shallots in advance, you can safely store them for up to three days. Because the shallots were cut very thinly and fried very crispy, most of the moisture has gone. If they have been drained well once fried, they should stay crispy in a food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid for a few days.

If they have not retained their crunchy, crispy texture, transfer the fried shallots to a wire cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath. Heat them through in your oven at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes. This will re-crisp them.