Why do my shallots keep turning blue?
Title sums it up, every now and then I'll notice that shallots sometimes take on a pronounced blue (or purple) tinge after cooking. I've noticed it when they're sauteed or roasted, seemingly independent of other ingredients. I'm aware of a similar, more common phenomenon with garlic, but that involves some source of acidity and copper, which hasn't always been present (eg. just shallots and olive oil in a nonstick pan). As such, I'm assuming there's another cause at work.
Best Answer
Vegetables with a naturally blueish-red color - red cabbage, beets, red onions, shallots, blueberries, red grapes (wine too) - usually have that color due to anthocyanin content.
Anthocyanin behaves like litmus paper, and takes on a different hue depending on pH value. If food containing it turns blue, it is too alkaline - and might also be at less than optimal flavor because of that. Add acidity to make it red.
Specifically with shallots, though, do make sure that it is not actually blueish mold getting washed into the cooking liquid. Unpalatable at any pH.
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Why did my shallots turn blue?
If food containing it turns blue, it is too alkaline - and might also be at less than optimal flavor because of that. Add acidity to make it red. Specifically with shallots, though, do make sure that it is not actually blueish mold getting washed into the cooking liquid. Unpalatable at any pH.Why are my onions turning blue?
Anthocyanins have been associated with many health benefits. They are also sensitive to changes in pH. Under alkaline conditions, the red hue changes to a bluer tinge. If you cook red onion with alkaline foods, such as nuts, lentils, and some vegetables, those anthocyanins revert to their blue hue.How do you know if shallots have gone bad?
How To Tell If Shallots Are Bad?Why did my shallots turn green?
A: The small bit of green in the middle is the beginning of a shoot. This will not have the flavor intensity of the more mature bulb, but certainly is edible.Why Does Garlic Turn Blue When It's Pickled?
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