Braised banana shallots and leeks with a red wine vinegar glaze

Shallots are now widely available and recently a new variety has made it onto supermarket shelves. This is the torpedo-shaped banana shallot, used in this recipe, that is longer than the traditional varieties and perhaps a little milder. Shallots are great in casseroles and slow cookers because, unlike onions, they don't require initial sautéing to rid them of any raw flavour.

Ingredients

8	Shallots, use banana shallots (Main)
1	Leek, large
3 Tbsp	Olive oil
½ cup	Red wine vinegar
¼ cup	Caster sugar
1 to garnish	Fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Peel and top and tail the shallots. Wash the leek well and cut the white end into 3cm rounds.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the shallots and leek. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Turn the vegetables over and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, bring the red wine vinegar and sugar to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until slightly thickened. Pour over the shallots and leek and garnish with rosemary sprigs.