Slow-Braised Shallots with Cider

Cider tastes so good with Normandy’s iconic foods—shellfish, rich cow’s milk cheeses, and beef—but it’s also a fantastic ingredient to cook with. Something as simple as shallots are transformed with cider, thyme, and time, too, to become pink, jewel-like, and translucent. These are great as a side dish, but they can also be pulled apart into petals to serve as a scoop for smoked fish or pureed with chicken stock for a fancy little soup.