I have a stew recipe I would like to try out but it calls for 350g of shallots. Usually, in smaller quantities, I would just omit them, but as it is quite a large amount I need to replace them with something. Unfortunately, I absolutely cannot stand onions of any kind, or similar veg like leeks. Is there anything else I can use to replace the shallots?
Honestly if you can´t stand onions then just don´t use them, since onions and garlic aren´t easy to susbstitute, to be honest i don´t even think they should be, just omited if the person doesnt like them.
I can´t stand onions in large quantities, i dont even like to see them in a dish, so if i recipe called for them either i would finely chop or just not use.
OP, texture wise you can use fennel or celery but it will alter the taste very much.
I'm baffled by sweeping dislikes like this. It's such a basic basic ingredient, one that is almost in every dish out there. Could it be that you think you dislike the thought of it?
If you cannot stand the taste of onion or other similiar ingredients, then if you get a substitute for the taste then you probably wouldn't like it either then don't bother substituting.
OP, texture wise you can use fennel or celery but it will alter the taste very much.
I'm baffled by sweeping dislikes like this. It's such a basic basic ingredient, one that is almost in every dish out there. Could it be that you think you dislike the thought of it?
KK, i don´t dislike onions, but in my case its psychological.
As i child i remember eating large pieces of onion and i never enjoyed it,
I don´t mind onions in the dish, i just cant stand seeing them. Ill use them as long as i honestly don´t need to see them, texturely i don´t care much for them and their taste is fine.
KK, i don´t dislike onions, but in my case its psychological.
As i child i remember eating large pieces of onion and i never enjoyed it,
I don´t mind onions in the dish, i just cant stand seeing them. Ill use them as long as i honestly don´t need to see them, texturely i don´t care much for them and their taste is fine.
As a kid I didn't like seein onions either. Little did I know they were in all my favorite foods though. That's why I say a lot of people think they don't like onions when in fact they eat then plentifully without knowing. It's just a thought. Of corse it's all about the dish, what function do they serve?
If you can't get your hands on shallots I would use onions, but probably about half the amount as shallots a milder and more subtle than onions, but I wouldn't omit them altogether. I would dice them up very small and do a long, slow sweat on them. That will start them breaking down and by the time the stew is completed they should be mostly dissolved, at least to the point where you don't notice them.
Thanks for all your answers so far. I am planning on not using any onions or shallots I'm just worried that as the recipe calls for quite a large amount of them (compared to most of the other ingredients) the stew will be kinda bland without something else to give it a bit of flavour I don't necessarily want an onion flavor, just something to bulk it up and make it taste a bit more interesting.
I don't cook stews very often, so I don't really know what the function of the shallots is. I'm pretty sure it isn't the thought of onions that bothers me, its either the taste or the texture that makes me feel ill, the smell makes me feel ill too.
As said before, you can try bulking up the celery or adding some fennel, but that will change the taste of the stew dramatically. You could also try herbs such as rosemary or sage, but it's hard to replace the flavor that onion provides to dishes without seriously changing the flavor profile.
Brightflare, I have to apologize for calling you a troll. I just found it really questionable that someone would ask for a replacement for shallots in a recipe that calls for a large amount, yet say that they hate onions and even weaker variants like leeks! And as I told Nicko I had a few drinks and fired away without thinking /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
I'm glad everyone else was helpful. I just wanted to let you know I didn't mean to be rude. The function of shallots as well as onions would be flavor in most cases. If you can stand garlic I'd suggest adding in a small amount, but as garlic, leeks, shallots, and onion are all related I didn't figure there was any suitable stand in for a flavor you hate. So flavor aside, that only leaves texture.. and for that matter you could use anything.
KK, i don´t dislike onions, but in my case its psychological.
As i child i remember eating large pieces of onion and i never enjoyed it,
I don´t mind onions in the dish, i just cant stand seeing them. Ill use them as long as i honestly don´t need to see them, texturely i don´t care much for them and their taste is fine.
In a stew onions are the backbone of the dish. I don't believe I have ever eaten a stew without onions so it's difficult to even imagine what that might taste like. Try without and see if it's ok.
You can always add some root vegetables like parsnips and celery root but again that changes the flavor.
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