What is the functional purpose of straining out shallots from a Beurre Rouge (Red Butter Sauce)?
Curious as to the reasoning behind why the French favor straining out shallots. Specifically I'm wondering if this is a purely textural thing, or if leaving in the shallots causes the sauce to have too strong of a shallot flavor. Usually I see shallots used when a recipe is looking not to overwhelm the dish with onion-y flavor.
Best Answer
It's a texture thing. Most classic French sauces are strained for texture and appearance reasons. Also, some versions of beurre rouge have more than just shallots in them, making it more necessary to strain lest it be more of the chutney than a sauce.
If you don't care, you can mince the shallots and leave them in the sauce, per Spruce Eats.
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How do you soften the taste of shallots?
When you leave the shallots to soak in vinegar, the bad-aftertaste compounds leave through the cut surface of the vegetable. They diffuse into the vinegar and sort of \u201ccure,\u201d so that they're not so irksome anymore. Plus, the vinegar in turn infuses the shallow with flavor as a bonus.Why do people use shallots instead of onions?
Shallots are a little sweeter than regular onions and have a more subtle flavor. They are good used in raw applications where you want an oniony flavor without too much punch, such as in salads and vinaigrettes, , or in slow roasted or braised dishes, where their sweetness can enhance a dish without watering it down.Why do restaurants use shallots?
"Shallots are one of the things \u2014 a basic prep item in every mise-en-place \u2014 that make restaurant food taste different from your food." Then there's stock, be it vegetable, chicken or beef. The flavor of homemade stock is miles ahead of canned, and a ladleful will add depth and rich flavor to nearly any dish.What is the flavor of shallots?
Shallots have a delicate and sweet flavor with a hint of sharpness, while onions bring a more intense heat. You can substitute shallots in nearly any recipe that calls for onions\u2014just make sure you're using the same volume. (For example, several medium shallots equals about one small yellow onion.)How to Make a Butter Sauce
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