17 hours Ago By Ella Mills
If you’ve never roasted shallots before, this dish from Ella Mills (also known as Deliciously Ella ) is about to transform your fall recipe roster. Read more: Butter Beans Are Having A Moment – Here Are 8 Recipes To Try Shallots are a type of vegetable in the allium family, closely related to onions, garlic, and leeks. They are characterized by their small, elongated bulbs that grow in clusters, similar to garlic cloves.
Shallots have a more delicate, sweeter flavor than regular onions, with a hint of garlic, making them a highly versatile ingredient. They’re great for roasting due to their natural sweetness and mild flavor, which intensify when exposed to heat. As they roast, the sugars in shallots caramelize, creating a rich, sweet, and slightly tangy flavor that adds depth to your dish.
According to Mills, this is one of her favorite recipes from her cookbook Healthy Made Simple , and she describes is as like a “nourishing hug.” Read more: 17 Protein-Packed Vegan Bean Recipes Cozy roasted shallot and butter bean bowls Ingredients 5 shallots, quartered lengthways, keeping the root intact and the skin on 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve (see tip below) 4 garlic cloves, skin on 1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme Pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional) 2 leeks, sliced 120 g green beans, trimmed 400 g tin of butter beans 2 large handfuls of baby spinach (about 100g), roughly chopped 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Grated zest of 1 lemon Sea salt and black pepper Sourdough toast, to serve (optional Instructions Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Toss the shallots with a tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Place on a baking tray, cut-side down, add the garlic cloves and roast in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until soft and caramelised. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole, over a medium–low heat. Add the thyme, chilli flakes (if using), leeks and a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until the leeks have softened but not coloured.
Next, add the green beans and the butter beans, along with the liquid from the tin. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 4–5 minutes, until most of the liquid has reduced. Stir in the spinach, and allow to wilt, then add the white wine vinegar and season to taste.
When the shallots are ready and cool enough to handle, peel their skins off and stir the flesh into the beans. Peel the garlic, gently mash it with a fork (it should be very tender) and stir it into the beans too. To serve, divide the braised beans between serving bowls, top with a generous drizzle of olive oil, the lemon zest and plenty of pepper.
This is delicious as it is or served with some sourdough toast. Read more: 6 Protein-Packed Vegan Bean Stew Recipes DELICIOUSLY ELLA HEALTHY MADE SIMPLE by Ella Mills is published by Yellow Kite and is out now ..
