Caramelized Shallots (Paleo, Gluten-free, Vegetarian)

Ben and I are hosting Thanksgiving this year!  My mom is coming, and so are several of my friends from school whose families are too far to visit during our short break.  I have never hosted Thanksgiving before, and I'm a little nervous!  Ben is going to make the turkey, which I guess is the hardest part, but I'll still have lots of work to do making appetizers, sides, and dessert.

I tested two Thanksgiving sides today--these caramelized shallots, and a roasted garlic, squash, & rutabaga puree (coming soon).  They were both delicious!  I served them alongside these pork chops from Simply Recipes, and it was the best lunch I've had in a long time.  

I've been wanting to make these shallots ever since I first got my hands on Barefoot in Paris (I am a huge Ina Garten fan!).  They are amazing--sweet, tangy, salty, buttery, and beautiful!  I made a couple of changes to make the recipe paleo and reduce the fat a bit.  Ina also recommends leaving the roots attached to the shallots, but I trimmed mine before cooking because I wanted to be able to eat them without cutting anything off.  You could try leaving them on if you like--it does make for an elegant presentation.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing more Thanksgiving sides, along with a few appetizers, desserts, and drinks.  I'm also working on a post with an entire Thanksgiving menu, including links to recipes from other blogs that I'm planning to try.  Our Thanksgiving is going to be gluten-free and primal, so stay tuned if you're hoping to have a grain-free holiday table as well.  I also have a vegetarian friend coming, so I'll be trying out a couple of vegetarian main dishes and keeping all of my sides meat-free.

Do you have favorite recipes for Thanksgiving sides or desserts?  Please share in the comments below!

Ingredients (makes 4-6 servings; adapted from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten):

2 pounds shallots (the smaller the better)
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Drop in the shallots and let them cook for about a minute; this makes them easier to peel.

Drain the shallots and set aside to cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, trim the root ends (and the other ends if necessary), and peel them.  This part is a little bit tedious, but can be done a few hours ahead of time.

In a large ovenproof skillet, melt the butter and coconut oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots and the sugar and toss to combine.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes, or until the shallots are starting to brown.  Stir in the vinegar, salt, and pepper, and carefully transfer the skillet to the oven.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the shallots are tender and nicely browned (after taking these photos, I decided my shallots were not caramelized enough, and baked them for another 10 minutes or so).  Small shallots will cook faster than large ones.  Top with fresh herbs and serve hot.

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