Preparation

• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, swirling the pan from time to time, until the syrup is an even amber color, 4 to 6 minutes. (Don’t take the caramel too far because it will be cooked again.)
• Carefully pour in the vinegar; the mixture will bubble and hiss. Whisk until the mixture is liquid again. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 5 to 8 minutes more. Let the sauce cool.

• Trim and peel the shallots. Cut any large shallots so that the pieces are roughly the same size (some variation is OK).

• Heat the oven to 400°F. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, toss the shallots with the oil, rosemary, thyme, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Roast until tender and starting to brown around the edges, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven, scrape in the sauce, and stir to coat. Return the dish to the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once during this time, to infuse the shallots with the sauce. The sauce will be thin at this point but will thicken as the dish cools. Let cool slightly and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead Tips

The caramel-vinegar sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead. Pour into a jar or other container, cover, and store at room temperature.

The shallots can be trimmed, peeled, and cut up to 3 days ahead, Wrap them in barely damp paper towels and refrigerate in a zip-top bag.