This is my go-to “I-have-nothing-in-the-house-but-still-want-a-great-salad” dressing. It’s adapted from Samin Nosrat, but I’ve stripped it back to true pantry staples and switched to a hand-held blender, which gives it a creamy, almost luxurious texture in minutes – no fine chopping or whisking involved.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (plus more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Prepare the base: Place the chopped shallot, red wine vinegar, water, honey, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper into a tall container suitable for a hand-held blender.
2. Blend: Insert the hand-held blender and begin blending. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil (or add it all at once if your blender is strong). Blend until smooth, creamy, and fully emulsified.
3. Adjust seasoning: Taste the dressing and add more salt or vinegar as needed.
4. Store: Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

MAKE AHEAD:

This dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week. It may thicken as it chills — simply remove it from the fridge 20–30 minutes before serving and shake well. If it’s still too thick, loosen it with a splash of water or vinegar and shake again.