Shallots are also called Ascalonian. It is one of the cultivated varieties of onion varieties and does not exist in nature without preliminary planting. It has appeared since ancient times in the Middle East. This plant has not only a number of useful qualities, but also a very pleasant taste, so today it is widely distributed throughout the world.
Name history
Shallot - what is it and how is it eaten? These are questions that many people ask. It came to European countries in the thirteenth century, however, then it was called eshkalot (from the name of the biblical city of Ashkalon), since it was then grown here. Over time, in many European languages, this name turned into shallot. In addition, this type of onion is also popularly called "kushchevka" or "kvochka". He has these bright nicknames due to the ability to make a large nest in one bush at the same time, consisting of several bulbs. Their number is different (from five to thirty pieces). It depends on the care and type of plant. However, the main difference that distinguishes shallots from other similar crops is the vegetative way of its reproduction. It is for his abilityquite quickly and easily reproduce this culture has now gained great popularity. Today, you can very often see different varieties of a plant such as shallots. What it is is described in detail in this article. Varieties tend to differ in bulb size, shape, color, and flavor.
What is the difference between shallot and onion?
If you do not take into account the small weight of shallots, then, first of all, it attracts attention with its ease of cultivation, significant early maturity and increased productivity. High frost resistance makes it possible to plant this crop before winter. The feathers of winter shallots grow quite early, and the harvest can be harvested a couple of weeks before the appearance of an early ripe variety of onions.
In most cases, the cultivation of a crop such as shallots (growing from seeds) is done because of the early greens. Such a plant has a rather long dormant period, but already in February you can get an excellent harvest from greenhouses. After the shallots have been removed, as a rule, seedlings of cucumbers or tomatoes are planted in the greenhouse.
When this crop is grown on the windowsill, the seeds used can be used a second time. In this case, the greens are removed with parts of the bulbs, which are cut below the middle. And those that remain in the pot, in turn, give a second crop. With onion species, this will not work.
Shallots gourmet food
Since ancient timessuch a plant is considered very tasty and has very fertile seeds. Shallots are rightfully a gourmet product. It has a miniature appearance of an ordinary onion, but here there are narrower, long-lasting and tender feathers. Its bulbs have a pleasant aroma, silky texture of the flesh and mild semi-sweet taste. This culture does not make you cry when cut (unlike onions), and also does not cause bad breath, so many people prefer to add it to various salads consisting of fresh vegetables.
Many recipes in the world of cooking contain a similar ingredient. After cooking, it usually acquires a special aroma and unique taste that does not drown out other products. In addition, French chefs prepare the famous onion soup exclusively from shallots, and small onions are perfect for cooking magnificent pickled pickles, served as a seasoning for meat.
Growing shallots outdoors
Growing a crop like shallots: what is it and what does such a process consist of are fairly common questions. In many ways, its cultivation is similar to the cultivation of onions, but at the same time it is characterized by the presence of certain nuances. For example, onions are planted in warm soil to avoid the appearance of unwanted arrows, and shallots are planted quite early, in some cases even after the snow has melted and access to the garden has appeared.
When wet and coldsoil, roots grow rapidly, and then leaves appear. Therefore, shallots are often planted before winter. In this case, it is a powerful plant with developed full-weight bulbs. If the planting was later, they end up in dry, warm soil and the leaves grow faster than the roots. This situation is further exacerbated by heat and lack of moisture, which can lead to a stop in the development of the culture. After that, no watering can save the plant. The bulbs finish their development and stop growing, while the leaves turn yellow and the roots remain small.
The planting process and aftercare
Shallots, growing from seeds of which is quite effective, prefers fertile and loose lands. It is quite photophilous, and on fertilized soils it forms a significant rosette of green leaves. That is why it requires an open and sunny location, since it has a nutritional area much larger than that of a bulb plant. It is usually grown with a distance between beds of thirty centimeters, and between seedlings in a row - fifteen.
Spring planting depth of shallots is about six centimeters, and when winter cultivation is used, ten. In addition, the neck of the bulb should be covered with two or three centimeters of soil after planting.
Seed size generally has a direct impact on the yield of a crop such as shallots. What it is has been described in detail above. So, the larger the bulb when planting, the more leaves it will grow andwill give more yield later. However, when forcing greens early, it is much more profitable to use smaller or medium-sized seedlings. In order to get a quality and larger turnip as a result, it is better to plant medium bulbs in the soil, and use large bulbs for food.
Shallot Features
Shallots, from the seeds of which ripe and tasty bulbs are obtained, have their own specific pattern. It consists in the fact that when a large number of fruits are formed in the nests, their size is quite small. Therefore, it is quite possible to carry out the rationing of seedlings in the nests. To do this, you need to carefully rake the ground and remove a certain part of the fruit from the emerging plant. Those bulbs that remain in the nest grow, as a rule, larger.
The final harvest is done immediately after the leaves have laid down. Shallots by their nature belong to sissy plants, so it is not necessary to leave already dug shoots in open sunlight (unlike onions). To exclude a burn, drying should be carried out under some kind of canopy. Shallots can be stored at room temperature, despite the fact that they have two layers of husks, and if the room is cool, then they can be stored for more than a year.
In general, the shallot, the photo of which can be found in this article, is highly valued around the world. This is due to its early delicate fragrant greens and small tasty bulbs, from which you can cook excellent dishes. It contains more sugar, variousminerals and ascorbic acid (when compared with onions). In addition, shallots have high dietary properties, and their medicinal properties are much higher than those of the bulb plant.
Distinctive properties of the plant
Early ripeness is one of the main distinguishing features of such a plant as shallot sets. Immediately after its planting, this culture grows very quickly and after about a month it is already ready to cut greens from it. Already after seventy days there are ripe bulbs that are ahead of onions. In addition, shallots are quite cold-resistant, as they have the ability to freeze, and after thawing they can germinate without any damage.
Also, an important quality of such a culture lies in the fact that it has a characteristic ability to be conveniently stored. Shallots will not dry out, will not germinate even at room temperature and will last until the next harvest.
Reproduction by seeds and bulbs
For cooking, both onions and leaves are usually used in various forms (raw, fried, sautéed, boiled, pickled). The plant of spicy varieties is usually used for decoctions, stews, soups, to cook minced meat, and it is also added to numerous meat, vegetable and fish dishes. Shallots, which are widely photographed, have a sweet flavor and are eaten fresh or pickled as an appetizer or side dish (usually in salads).
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