Caramelised shallot and feta-labneh dip
“Shallots contain at least twice as much sugar as onions, which makes them an excellent candidate for caramelising. As the shallots cook, the long polymer chains of fructans break and release their sweet-tasting fructose molecules. Some of these fructose molecules enter the caramelisation and Maillard reactions, resulting in a heavenly sweet-and-savoury dip. This dip can be served with crackers, toasted naan, pita chips, or crisps, or even spread on toast and topped with a fried egg or smoked salmon (one of my go-to weekly breakfasts).”
This recipe is taken from Fundamentals of Flavor: 100 Recipes for the Science of Better Cooking by Nik Sharma (£35, Chronicle Books). Photography by Nik Sharma.
THE FLAVOUR FILES
Using the same ingredients, the shallots can be baked at 150°C for 30-45 minutes. Add the garlic in the last 5 minutes
A pinch of salt helps soften the pectin inside the shallots and cook faster
For extra heat, use cayenne red pepper flakes instead of Aleppo
Plain Greek yoghurt can be used in place of labneh; the dip will have a slightly runnier consistency
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 340g of shallots, about 6, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes, or you can use Urfa or Maras pepper flakes
- 1 tsp low-salt soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 455g of labneh
- 120g of feta, crumbled
- 2 tbsp of chives, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp of chilli oil, such as Calabrian chilli oil, or up to 2 tbsp
Method
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. When the butter is melted, add the shallots, nigella seeds, Aleppo and soy sauce. Season lightly with salt and pepper, stir to coat, then cover the saucepan with a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes, peeking once about halfway through to make sure nothing is burning. Uncover and cook the shallots until they are deeply browned, 10-20 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. The cooking time will vary
- 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 340g of shallots, about 6, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes, or you can use Urfa or Maras pepper flakes
- 1 tsp low-salt soy sauce
Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep aside to cool to room temperature. The shallots can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
In a medium bowl, fold together the labneh and feta, smashing some feta into the labneh with a spoon to incorporate while leaving some feta chunks behind. Fold the shallot mixture into the labneh mix, taste, and season with salt if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the chives and dill, drizzle with the chilli oil, and serve at room temperature or chilled. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Former molecular biologist Nik Sharma is a bestselling cookbook author celebrated for blending culinary science with deeply personal storytelling. His cookbooks are Fundamentals of Flavor, Season, The Flavor Equation, and Veg-Table. He is host and cast member on cooking shows that span YouTube, Netflix and PBS and his writing and photography have been featured in The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal, among others.
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