Shallots with raisins and cider vinegar

Serves 4 as a side dish

• 30 medium-sized shallots
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 thick slice butter
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 bushy sprigs thyme
• 3 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
• 0 banana shallots
• 0 olive oil
• 0 sprigs thyme
• a little cheese

Step 1
Onions, whether small and whole or large and sliced, need a low temperature if they are not to burn and blacken, and plenty of stirring to prevent them colouring unevenly.

Step 2
The warmest of gold, evenly spread throughout, will take a good 25 minutes of an onion's time.

Step 3
It works, too, if you keep a lid on and don't have the heat too high.

Step 4
They take an age to soften right through to the core.

Step 5
You can get round this by boiling them for 20 minutes or so before draining them and returning the partially softened onions to the oven.

Step 6
For the record, an onion, thickly sliced or roughly chopped, with a little butter in a heavy pot, will take a good 30 minutes to soften over a low heat.

Step 7
Set the oven at 190C/gas mark 5.

Step 8
Peel the shallots.

Step 9
Warm the olive oil and butter in a small roasting tin or baking dish.

Step 10
Peel the garlic and slice it thinly, add to the butter, then put in the onions, the thyme, stripped from its stems, then the cider vinegar, an equal amount of water, the raisins or sultanas and the muscovado.

Step 11
Season with salt and black pepper then bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring once or twice, till the onions are sticky and sweet sour.

Step 12
They should be soft enough to crush between your fingers and thumb.

Step 13
If they are browning too quickly then cover with tin foil.

Step 14
Put the oven on at 190C/gas mark 5.

Step 15
Bake the shallots in their skins with a light drizzle of oil and a few of the sprigs of thyme, for about 30 minutes, till soft to the touch.

Step 16
Test one, it should be meltingly soft inside.

Step 17
Put the shallots on plates, cut into each shallot, pour in a drop or two of olive oil, a few of the thyme leaves and a few thin scraps of cheese.

Step 18
Press together until the cheese softens.

Step 19
Push the onion from its skin and eat while hot.