Instructions: Combine butter and shallot in medium-heavy saucepan and melt over medium heat. When butter is completely melted, cook until shallot becomes soft and translucent, about 2 minutes (do not let shallot scorch or color). Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms, rinse caps briefly under running water and pat dry. Chop fine. When shallot is soft, add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are dry, about 3 minutes. Add cream and raise heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until cream reduces by half, about 5 minutes.

Place frozen onions in colander and run under warm water to defrost.

Thoroughly pat dry. If using fresh onions, barely trim both ends (some of root and stem must remain to keep onion from falling apart. Cut deep X in root end, to 1/4 length of onion. Place onions in large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until room temperature and squeeze onions between thumb and forefinger to pop from skins. Thoroughly pat dry. Add onions to reduced cream. Cook briefly, enough to heat through and reduce cream, which may have become thinner from onion juice. Season to taste with salt. Just before serving, reheat, add minced herbs and stir to combine. 6 to 8

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