Everyday Shallot Vinaigrette

Yield: ½ cup

This versatile vinaigrette is punchy enough to make a winning salad out of greens alone yet welcoming to all sorts of mix-ins – tomatoes and crumbled blue cheese being two of my favorites. Plus it's quick to make with ingredients easily kept on hand.

As a general rule, I use about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette for every 3 cups of greens. This amount lightly coats the greens without weighing them down. With this in mind, one batch of the vinaigrette will be enough to dress two large or four smaller salads.

Ingredients

1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon – I often round the tablespoon)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (7g) honey
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30ml) sherry vinegar (may substitute white wine or champagne vinegar)
¼ cup (56ml) good olive oil

Place the minced shallot in the bottom of a salad bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes, or up to an hour. (The salt mellows the sharpness of the shallot.)

Once the shallot has rested, add the Dijon, pepper, honey, and vinegar, and whisk to combine. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified. Alternatively, you may add everything to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to emulsify.

Storage: The vinaigrette can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Allow it to come to room temperature before using and shake or whisk before using.