How do I select and store shallots?

If you’re not familiar with them, look for a vegetable that resembles a small, elongated onion.  The skin of  a shallot is copper, reddish, or gray.

Select shallots in the same way as you would choose onions.  Look for ones that are firm, heavy, and without soft spots.  Avoid ones that are sprouting.   Those are older ones. The younger ones have a milder taste.  Older shallots taste more like onion and garlic.

Store  shallots in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space in a knotted pantyhose leg or a mesh basket or bag. Hang them from the ceiling in a dry garage, cellar, or closet.  Properly stored, they may last as long as 2 months.  If chopped and frozen, they should last 3 months. But, when thawed, they will have lost their crunch.

Source(s):

About.com Home Cooking “Shallot Storage and Selection”

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodstorage/a/shallotstorage.htm