Shallot

Shallot, edible hardy perennial (Allium ascalonicum) of the Liliaceae family, used in cooking. The plant has edible stems, bulbs, and leaves, and grows like garlic or onions. The bulb, composed of cloves attached to a common disk, is green, shading to lavender with a thick grayish skin. Shallots probably developed by cultivation as early as the 9th century.