Less pungent than its cousin the onion, shallots are sweet little purplish packages bound up in coppery thin paper. Most commonly used as a garnish or in sauces, shallots are also good roasted or grilled and eaten whole as a side dish. They can be used in place of onions or scallions when a milder yet more complex flavor is preferred. Shallots are grown from a bulb rather than seed; a "mother" bulb is planted and continuously produces babies, which are harvested year-round.