5 Ingredients or Fewer

Molly Stevens' Sweet Braised Whole Scallions

by:
February 24, 2012
5
5 Ratings
Molly Stevens' Sweet Braised Whole Scallions
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

We tend to think of braising only in terms of long-cooked meats, but Molly Stevens is an expert at short-braised vegetables too. Here, scallions graduate from garnish to side.

From All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking (W.W. Norton & Company, 2004) —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 pound scallions (about 5 bunches, or 3 dozen)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon (do not substitute dried) or 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 lemon
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Using about 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter, generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Trim the root ends and 1 1/2 inches off the green tops of the scallions. Arrange half of the scallions in the baking dish so the bulb ends are lined up at one end and the greens are toward the middle. Place the other half of the scallions in the opposite direction, so you end up with a double layer of scallion greens across the center of the dish and a single layer of bulbs and each end of the dish.
  3. Pour the water into the dish. Cut the remaining butter into slivers and dot it over the top of the scallions. Season with the tarragon or parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil, and slide onto the middle rack in the oven. Braise undisturbed until fragrant and tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
  4. Remove the foil from the dish, and increase the oven heat to 450 degrees. Roast the scallions for 10 minutes, then shake the pan back and forth to coat the scallions with the glaze that will have formed. Continue roasting until the liquid evaporates and the edges of the scallions are beginning to brown, another 5 minutes or so. Squeeze over a few drops of lemon juice to taste, and serve hot or warm.
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12 Reviews

spurchase
spurchase December 27, 2021

Really, really good and ridiculously easy. Totally recommend.
 
So S.
So S. March 18, 2020
Really good -- perfect for all the leftover and miscellaneous scallions one never manages to finish eating. Left off the lemon, but may try it with next time.
 
Winifred R.
Winifred R. November 23, 2014
May try this with the scallions remaining in my garden still in November. Sounds like a great cool weather side.
 
Girlfromipanema
Girlfromipanema May 18, 2014
I made this, though with a few modifications: used olive oil, fresh sage, and kind of sealed them in a packet of tin foil on a baking sheet. They came out delicious, sweet and caramelized. I do think the butter would have added some needed richness and pushed them over the top.
 
procrastibaker
procrastibaker November 11, 2013
Being brilliant, I accidentally bought twice as many scallions as I needed for another recipe, and wound up with a full pound more than intended. Enter this delicious braising approach. I never envisioned scallions as a side dish in their own right, and now I'm just thrilled I have leftovers to throw in an omelette (thanks for the suggestion, mizerychik) tomorrow morning. The lemon adds a nice tang to the piquancy of the scallions and cuts their bitterness quite well. I used tarragon as the herb, although next time I might throw in more, as it didn't come through with all the other strong flavors. Thanks for a fantastic new approach to something I never considered a stand-alone food!
 
flossy
flossy August 18, 2012
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it, and sad i won't have leftovers for an omelette in the AM :-( even my 6 year old loved them. made it with a roast chicken (summer weather has broken!) and can't wait to make them again. if you are thinking this may not work, believe me, it will. didn't have any fresh tarragon or parsley either -- will do next time! thanks.
 
Whats4Dinner
Whats4Dinner August 8, 2012
I LOVE scallions! However, I'm also vegan. Do you think this would be good just subbing w/evoo to oil the pan, then earth balance (a vegan butter substitute) to dot the top?
 
ihaventpoisonedyouyet
ihaventpoisonedyouyet August 6, 2012
These are epic. Good, fast, easy. Making them tonight with a shrimp dish, but they've been a great accompaniment to roast chicken, tenderloin, eggs, all by themselves. Love them!
 
Island F.
Island F. June 23, 2012
Tried it out last night and it was delicious! Will make it again.
 
mizerychik
mizerychik March 12, 2012
Holy hell, these are good. The few that were left over made it into the next morning's omelette, which was the best I've ever had. I'm already dreaming about making them again.
 
Midge
Midge March 7, 2012
After eating this tonight, my husband informed me that he'd like it every night for dinner for the rest of his life. I kind of do too!
 
JoeBert
JoeBert February 28, 2012
Prepared this last night (Feb 27 2012) as a side dish for Chicken Piccata. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out very well....it was all eaten!! I will definitely be having this again. I think it would pare very well with some garlic mashed potatoes...perhaps as a topping for the potatoes...yum, yum!!