I mentioned this in passing in last week's menu preview and hadn't planned on posting the recipe however just the mention triggered 2 emails from subscribers and a phone call from my mother so I thought I had better get the recipe - as it is - posted.
I say recipe but this is rather vague since amounts very much depend on what you have and how deep the pan you cook it in is. I still say make some because it is a nice workhouse of an ingredient that you can use in lots of different ways and the cooking method numbs the sharpness of the allium mixture and brings a sweetness to the mix.
Chop whatever allium you have around into pieces as close in size as you can. I used 1/2 a leek, a mess of scallions and green garlic, some shallots and half a white onion and ended up with about 3 cups of chopped veggies with which to work.
Place them in a pan and add enough oil to cover them. Turn the heat on to low and cook for about an hour, stirring from time to time.
The allium will lose their vibrant green color but will gain a silky texture that is quite delicious. Let cool in the oil and then transfer to a covered container and keep in the fridge. If you are planning on solely using this as a substitute in recipes for chopping onions then you can blend it into a smooth paste before doing so but I find that I use it more if I keep the mixture chunky.
I use this when I need onion or shallot in a recipe, I add a dollop to vinaigrette and both egg and tuna salad, it is excellent in potato salad - both sweet and regular, a heated tablespoon of it on grilled fish or chicken is nice, and a mixture of 2/3 of the allium paste and 1/3 fresh grated ginger tossed into shrimp or crab is delicious.
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