Allium ascalonicum
Allium ascalonicum, scientific name for shallot, carlota, shallot or scallion, is a vegetable of the Aliaceae family, native to Central Asia. The name comes from the city of Ashkelon (Ashkelon, in modern Hebrew), a Phoenician port from where it was traded in ancient times.
Uses
Like most plants in this genus, shallots, also called shallots, are cultivated for culinary purposes. The edible part of this plant is at the base of the leaves, which forms bulbs, ovate in shape and flavor between garlic and onion. It is ideal for meat sauces and has been accepted by French cuisine for years.
The shallot is a relative of the onion, the flavor is slightly similar to that of onion, but with a sweet and mild flavor. It tends to be more expensive than onion, especially in America, however it can be stored for at least 6 months.
Unlike onions, where each plant is normally a single bulb, shallots form clusters of bulbs similar to garlic.
Like onions, raw shallots release tear-producing chemicals that irritate the eyes when sliced.
Properties
Indications: it is stomachic, nutritious, digestive, diuretic. The bulb is used.
Taxonomy
Allium ascalonicum was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Flora Palaestina 17, in the year 1756.
- Etymology
Allium: very old generic name. Plants of this genus were known to both the Romans and the Greeks. However, the term appears to be of Celtic origin, meaning 'to burn', in reference to the plant's strong pungent odor. One of the first to use this name for botanical purposes was the French naturalist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708).
ascalonicum: geographical epithet that comes from Ascalon, a city in Israel where it was cultivated.
- Sinonimia
- Allium carneum Willd.
- Allium fissile Gray.
- Allium hierochuntinum Boiss.
- Ashcalonica (L.) Garsault
- Porrum ascalonicum (L.) Rchb.
Common name
- Ascalonic onion, squallion, onion male, ascalonic scaffold, chalota, garlic chalote, garlic of ascalonia, escaloña, escaluña.
Cultivation
Shallot "traditional" (from bulbs)
Shallots can be grown in any soil, unless it contains excessive humus and is poorly drained. The ideal soil is light, sandy and deeply loose. It is advisable to wait 3 to 5 years before planting in a plot where species of the same family have established themselves (onion, garlic, leek). This plant fears humidity and must be grown in full sun.
Certified disease-free plants are preferred. Bulbs are planted in the fall, October through December, or late winter, March through April, depending on variety and region. Mulching can be applied to keep out weeds and reduce powdery mildew.
Harvest takes place between five and nine months after planting, around July.
Dried bulbs can keep well in a cool place for several months.
Shallots from seed
Direct sowing is carried out in March or April, depending on the variety, at a rate of 1.8 to 2 million seeds per hectare depending on the desired size.
Harvest takes place in August.
The bulbs are easy to store because the base material (the seed) is healthy planting material. It can be stored from harvest until the end of June of the following year.
Shallots can be stored in a cool, dry environment (0-4°C, 60-70% humidity) for six months or more..
Main varieties
In Europe
More than 55 varieties are registered in the European Catalog of Species and Varieties.
In France
The varieties cultivated in France are divided into two large groups: gray shallots, the most popular for being more aromatic, and pink or reddish-brown shallots, more or less elongated.
- Grey vests: Griselle, Grisor.
- Pink Chalotes: Armador, Melkior, Pesandor, Picador, Jersey Ronde, Rondeline.
- Red brown chalots: Arvro, Bruneor, Jermor, Kormoran, Longor, MenhirPlant:Etc
Some twenty varieties obtained by vegetative propagation and marketed as seedlings are registered in the Official French Catalog of species and varieties.
The choice of a variety can be made based on different criteria: plant or seed, yield, health status, suitability for conservation, raw and cooked taste,
The "Cuisse de poulet du Poitou," variety, often marketed as a shallot, is an echalion, which is a particular type of oblong onion. Three varieties obtained by sexual propagation and marketed as seeds are registered in the French Official Catalog of species and varieties.
Production and marketing
Shallots are grown in the same areas where onions are also grown, especially in Europe (France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Spain), America (Ontario, Quebec, New Jersey, New Hampshire), China and, finally, in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia and neighboring countries), where they play an important role in local cuisines. In Africa, there is a particular growing region in south-eastern Ghana.
Today, shallots can be bought in supermarkets throughout the year, but they are more expensive than onions, which limits their consumption to some extent. In Italy, the most popular varieties in retail are the PGI di Romagna and varieties imported from France.
In Italy the "Scalogno di Romagna" It is known as a particular ecotype of shallot, which has its own characteristics, different from those of other types on the market.
Image gallery
Sale of shaves in India
A person cutting shaves to make satay
Jackets for bawang goreng in Indonesia
The bawang goreng, consisting of crispy fried shawls, is a popular garrison in Indonesia.
Ballots in vinaigrette
A woman selling shawls in Katmandu, Nepal
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