Shallots

[tilts]

Hello
I was given a large amount of shallots to pickle and have now been pickled out.  There are still loads left, can i use them to plant out, if so, when, how, do they become large onions or just produce lots of babies, hence more shallots?
I would normally check the reference books, but they are packed ready for the house move & boy do  I miss them.

[tilts]

[Obelixx]

I wouldn't risk planting them as they won't have been checked for being virus free.  Can't you just store them somewhere dry and use them for eating instead of oinions or in things like coq au vin or rabbit and prunes where small onions are cooked whole in the dish?  They're also good as a side dish, gently stewed with raisins and tomatoes or roast whole with your joint.

[Jill]

..or braise them in balsamic vinegar, yum.

[aquilegia]

Keep them to cook in future - they store for ages. Cool, dry place.

[RosieM]

I've only just finished last year's shallots that were stored in the garage - they seem to last longer than onions for me.

RosieM

[wardy]

Stir fry too  :)

My mate grows shallots and when he pickles them he makes a whole in with a skewer and inserts a sliver of red chilli.  When he serves them he slices them thinly or whatever and then you get delicious slices of shallot with a red centre with that lovely chilli hit  ;D

I've just ordered my pickling onions (seed) but have never grown them or made pickled onions so if I manage to grow any I'll certainly be having a go at the chilli thing  :)

[Mrs Ava]

Mine also store better than regular onions.  Delish pan fried whole until golden and caramelised then float 5 or 6 in a bowl of French Onion soup!

[keef]

I think its fine to keep them and plant them next year - so long as you don't have too much of a problem with white rot. We always plant a row or two at my parents house which never gets white rot, and then keep most of them back for seed for the lottie next year.

In fact the shallots i've been growing are decended from my grandfathers - given to me by my Dad....

[growmore]

Plant your spare ones out in April, I grow quite a lot and havent bought none in years as I save some every  year.To plant out..
You can also start them in 3 inch pots inside round about early March these will mature earlier than the ones sown straight in the ground. cheers..... Jim
P.S. They grow in bunches so one shallot makes a bunch .