How to Make Crispy Shallots in a Deep Fryer
I use my small fryer quite often, especially now when it gets warm and I avoid using the oven at all costs. It’s very versatile – I can make a whole bacon and egg breakfast in it – but I rely on it for last-minute gear and finishing touches, from crispy capers to fried garlic and crispy green onions .
I, as you probably guessed by now, have found a new food to add to the air-fried gear canon – air-fried shallots. These are not my quickest air frying recipe , but they are very convenient and certainly much less labor intensive and require less oil than traditional fried shallots.
The procedure is simple: Chop the shallots about 1/8 “thick, drizzle with oil and cook in a deep fat fryer at 250 ℉ until golden and crispy. Salt them. Eat them. Repeat if you want (and probably will).
I know 250 ℉ may seem like a pretty low temperature, but it is necessary, albeit somewhat unfortunate. Cooking the chopped onions at a higher temperature burns the rings before they can properly dehydrate, causing the shallots to turn dark brown, chewy, rather than golden, crunchy. (Of course, if you want the onions to be dark and chewy, feel free to turn up the heat.)
Air-fried shallots aren’t quite the same as the one you put in the can – they are free of breading and much less greasy – but they would be equally good at home on a green bean casserole, had it been time for it. I don’t eat many casseroles right now, but crispy shallots don’t know the season. They are great for salads, other vegetables, or nothing at all. (I ate the stack you see at the top of this blog straight off a paper towel, and I’ll do it again.) To make these crispy bois, you’ll need:
- At least one shallots
- Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
Cut the shallots into 1/8-inch slices and push through the center of the slices until they break into separate rings. Place them in a bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to cover (maximum 1/4 teaspoon per shallots). Preheat deep fryer to 250 ℉. When it reaches this temperature, add the shallots to the basket and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, open the deep fat fryer, arrange the shallots on the sides and make sure there are no lumps in the center and corners. Cook for another 10 minutes, then open the fryer and watch how things go. If your shallots aren’t as golden and crispy as you’d like, add another 3-5 minutes. Once they’re the color and texture you want, transfer them to a paper towel, season with a couple of pinches of salt and enjoy.