Shallots - they look like elongated, small onions with red/brown skin and are sometimes joined in clusters at the base - add a subtle but delicious flavour to all manner of savoury dishes. Like onions and garlic, shallots belong to the Allium (lily) family, but they are smaller and sweeter than an onion and much less pungent than garlic.
In a small saucepan, saute the shallots in the olive oil over low heat, until soft and translucent. Stir in the brown sugar and vinegar and simmer until reduced. Cool.
To make the scones, sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir in the grated cheese. Beat the egg and milk and blend into the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough.
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
On a lightly floured bench, knead the dough lightly about three or four times then divide in half. Pat into two oblongs about 30cm x 12cm. Top one half with the shallot mixture.
Place on the baking tray and top with the remaining dough. Cut in 10 squares. Dot with the topping ingredients. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked. Best served warm.
