We know that vegetables are important, but we can get awfully sick of eating the same dull veggies, week in and week out. One way to tempt jaded palates is with a flavorful, crunchy garnish. Crispy shallot rings are the perfect addition to green beans or salads, and well, just about any savory dish. Try them as a topping for burgers. The shallot rings look nice, like you fussed for hours, and they add flavor, too.

They aren’t hard to make and there’s a bonus: you can use the oil in which you fry the shallots, for cooking, to add a subtle shallot flavor to anything you sauté or fry. I even use the cooled oil to make shallot mayo in the blender. Wonderful stuff!

Crispy Shallot Rings

Makes ¾ cup

Ingredients:

• 3 large shallots, sliced lengthwise, into slices of about a 1/8-inch thickness
• 1 cup oil (I like palm and buy it up before Passover—it’s a myth that saturated fats are bad for you)
• Salt

Method:

1. Pour oil into small saucepan. Add sliced shallots and place pot over medium heat. Cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. If shallots are browning too quickly, turn heat down.
2. Place sieve over small, heatproof bowl. Pour shallots and oil into sieve, drain well. Place shallot rings onto a triple layer of paper toweling to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle shallots with salt.
3. Store shallots in covered plastic container at room temperature for 3 days.