Italian Vegetable and Potato Stew

(recipe adapted from May All Be Fed: Diet For A New World by John Robbins)

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, with leaves, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium boiling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped

Place the eggplant in a colander and toss with 1 tsp. of the salt.  Let stand for 1 hour to draw out the bitter juices.  Rinse well, drain, and pat dry with kitchen towels.  (I didn't rinse or dry...)

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large pot.  Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes with juice, vegetable stock, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the red pepper flakes;  if using dried basil, add it now.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the olives and, if using, the fresh basil, and continue cooking to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes.  Serve the stew hot.

(Very tasty and fairly simple to make.  The salting of the eggplant needs a bit of wait time.  The recipe called for pan frying the eggplant before adding to the dish, but I just threw it right in and the results were fine for me.)

Chickpea Vegetable Stew

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

2 Tbsp. olive oil (I used coconut oil)
1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed and halved
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 lb. fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. harissa
3 cups broth
One 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. minced cilantro
Toasted bread, for serving

In a large saucepan, heat the oil.  Add the onions and bell pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes, garlic, ginger and harissa and cook, stirring, until the harissa darkens, about 2 minutes.  Add the broth and chickpeas and bring to a boil.  cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 14 minutes. 

Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.  Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the stew with cilantro and serve with toasted bread.

(This coconut/ginger/harissa broth is delicious!  I think using any vegetable mix would work well with this stew - the broth is so yummy.)

Potatoes and Artichokes with Mustard Caper Vinaigrette

(my adaption of a recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. capers, drained and minced
6 Tbsp. lemon juice
One 15oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and cut to 1/4"-thick wedges
3/4 lb. tiny red potatoes
1/3 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
mixed salad greens


Stir together the vinegar, mustard, and garlic until well blended, then whisk in the olive oil.  Stir in the capers.  Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the vegetables.

Scrub the potatoes; do not peel.  Slice them crosswise into 1/4"-thick pieces.  Pour an inch of water into the bottom of a medium-size saucepan, put in the potato pieces, and cover.  Over medium-high heat, cook the potatoes until fork-tender but not soft, about 6-8 minutes.  Test frequently; the texture is important to the success of the dish.

Drain the potatoes and rinse with cold water.  Drain thoroughly and toss together in a serving bowl with the artichoke hearts and bell pepper.  Toss again with the dressing and set aside to marinate at room temperature for up to several hours. 

When ready to serve, toss the vegetable mixture with the parsley and greens.

Baked Macaroni & "Cheese"

(recipe from VegNews magazine)

4 quarts water
1 Tbsp. sea salt
8 oz. macaroni
4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces
2 Tbsp. and 1/3 cup margarine (I used coconut oil)
2 Tbsp. shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. paprika

In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil.  Add macaroni and cook until al dente.  In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 Tbsp. margarine to a medium-fine texture.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne.  Add softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated.  Spread mixture into a 9x12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

(This "cheese" sauce is delicious!  I made this with gluten-free pasta and omitted the breadcrumb topping.  Baking really dried out the dish, so in the future I'd probably just serve after tossing the sauce with the pasta.)

Cauliflower Bisque with Roasted Red Peppers

(I don't know where this recipe is from)

3 Tbsp. oil
1 yellow onion, diced
sea salt
1/8 tsp. saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tbsp. water
2 new potatoes, unpeeled, diced
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 cups water
cracked black pepper
2 roasted red bell peppers, diced
2-3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Place oil and onion in a soup pot over medium heat.  When the onions begin to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add saffron (and soaking water) and potatoes, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add cauliflower and stir well.  Add milk and water; cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook until cauliflower is quite soft, about 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Transfer soup to a food processor and puree until smooth.  Return to the soup pot and keep soup on low.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls.  Mix roasted peppers and parsley together and use to garnish soup.

Roasted Potato Salad with Shaved Fennel and Salsa Verde

(recipe from finecooking.com)

2 lb. small red-skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
3 Tbsp. drained, rinsed, and chopped capers
2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (I used a smaller amount of dried thyme)
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium-small fennel bulb

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450F.  Spread the potatoes on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and several grinds of pepper, and roll them around to evenly coat them with the oil.  Spread the potatoes in a single layer, preferably with a cut side down.  Roast until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.  The potatoes should be browned on the sides touching the pan.  Loosen the potatoes from the pan with a thin spatula and transfer them to a large serving bowl.

While the potatoes are roasting, in a medium bowl, stir the parsley, olive oil, chives, capers, orange juice, vinegar, orange zest, thyme, shallot, and garlic to make the salsa verde.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut off the top and the bottom of the fennel.  Cut the fennel bulb in half from top to bottom, and again into quarters - remove the cores.  Lay each quarter on its cut surface and then slice crosswise as thinly as possible.

Add the salsa verde and shaved fennel to the bowl of roasted potatoes - they can be added while potatoes are still warm, or at room temperature.  Toss well, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Root Vegetables Anna

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
6 Tbsp. butter, melted, divided (I used coconut oil)
1 1/4 lbs. russet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled, cut into scant 1/8-inch-thick rounds
3-inch-diameter celery root (celeriac), trimmed, peeled, halved, very thinly sliced
1 medium turnip, peeled, halved, very thinly sliced
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (I used dried, along with some other Italian spices)

Spray a 9 1/2-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet with vegetable oil spray; add 2 Tbsp. melted butter.  Arrange half of the potato rounds in the skillet, overlapping in concentric circles.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Alternate celery root slices and turnip slices atop potatoes in overlapping concentric circles.  Sprinkle with rosemary, then lightly with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. melted butter.  Top with remaining potato slices in overlapping concentric circles.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Press with spatula to compact.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Cook vegetables over medium heat, 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until bottom layer is golden, about 25 minutes.  Uncover and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. melted butter.  Transfer the skillet to the oven; bake uncovered until vegetables are very tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Run small knife around vegetables to loosen from skillet.  Place large platter atop skillet.  Using pot holders, firmly hold skillet and platter together and invert vegetables onto platter.  Cut into wedges and serve.

(This is so tasty - the turnips and celery give an interesting depth and lightness to the potatoes.  I'd not invert the vegetables out of the skillet if I made them again - my top layer stuck to the bottom of the pan, and the thing got disheveled.  I don't think it's necessary - I'd just scoop out in wedges.  The top is pretty anyway because of the concentric circle pattern, and was crisped and browned from the oven.)

Dill Pickle Potato Salad

(recipe from Food52.com)

3 lbs. small potatoes, halved or quartered
1 jar leftover pickle brine, strained and divided
2 Tbsp. minced shallot
2 to 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I used Vegenaise, the low-fat kind without canola oil)
1 tsp. celery salt (I used celery seed)
2 Tbsp. chopped dill
1 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt, to taste

Set aside 1/2 cup of pickle brine.  Strain the rest into a large pot, add enough water to boil your potatoes, and salt it well.  Bring it to a boil, then add your potatoes.  Cook for 12 to 15 minutes; your potatoes are ready when you can easily pierce them with a fork.  Just be sure they don't turn to mush.

Drain the potatoes and immediately toss them with 1/4 cup pickle brine and the shallot.  Set aside to cool.

Mix your dressing:  combine mayonnaise, 1/4 cup pickle brine, celery salt, dill, salt, and pepper.  Taste; add more salt and pepper if necessary, and toss in some coriander if you'd like.  Once your potatoes have cooled, toss to combine.  You can serve immediately, but the flavor is better after a night in the fridge.

(What a neat idea!  The pickle brine makes the salad so tangy!  I found the dressing to be a little watery, and would probably add a tad more mayo next time 'round.)

Chunky Celery Soup

(recipe from 101 Cookbooks)

1 large onion
1 large russet potato
3 to 4 small - medium carrots
10 medium-length stalks of celery
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups cooked wild rice, brown rice, barley (just about any cooked medium-sized grain)

optional:  celery leaf pesto (if your celery has many leaves intact)
1 cup lightly packed celery leaves
1 large clove garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup olive oil
(Puree all of these ingredients in a food processor for about 30 seconds)

parmesan cheese (optional)

Chop the onion, potato, carrots, and celery into pieces that are about 1/2-inch or smaller.  Do your best to cut everything roughly the same size, as this will keep cooking time across the ingredients somewhat uniform.  You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups of chopped celery.

In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, onion, potato, carrots, celery and a few pinches of salt.  Saute for about ten miutes or until the onions and celery soften a touch and expel some water.  Stir in the garlic and add the stock.  Bring to a simmer and let cook for another 10 minutes or until the celery, carrot, and potatoes are just cooked through - resist the urge to overcook them into mush.  Stir in the rice a few minutes before the potatoes and carrot are cooked through.  Remove the soup from the heat and ladle into soup bowls.  Top each with a generous drizzle of the celery leaf pesto and/or some parmesan cheese (optional).

(This is kind of a clean-out-your-fridge recipe.  I found this recipe while searching for a way to use up a lot of celery I had accumulated.  What a delight to find that this soup is extremely delicious!  I didn't even add any grain to the soup, just a little extra carrots and potatoes and celery.  My friend's mom had just given me some homemade basil pesto, which I used instead of making my own kind of pesto.  I brought the soup for my lunches in a mason jar, with a teaspoon of the pesto plopped on top.  I enjoyed it every day, and it just got better and better as the flavors meshed.  I also think that this would be good blended a bit into a creamier consistency.  Very easy and versatile - what a discovery!  Celery soup!)

Pantzaria Me Skordalia (Roasted Beets with Garlic-Potato Spread)

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

4 medium red beets (about 1 1/2 lbs.), trimmed and cleaned
10 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup finely ground toasted walnuts
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced into a paste
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" squares and boiled until tender

Heat oven to 425F.  Put beets in an 8" x 8" baking dish and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil.  Season with salt and pepper and pour in 1 cup water.  Cover pan tightly with foil and crimp edges to form a seal.  Bake beets until a knife inserted into beet slides easily into the center, about 1 hour.  Transfer pan to a rack, carefully uncover, and let cool for 30 minutes.  Peel beets and cut into 1"-2" pieces; set aside.

Put walnuts, vinegar, garlic, and potatoes into a medium bowl and mash potatoes until smooth.  Vigorously stir in remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.  [I put whole toasted walnuts, vinegar, and whole garlic cloves into the food processor and pulsed until blended, then added the cooked potatoes and oil and pulsed all together until smooth.]

Transfer beets to plates and serve with some skordalia spread on the side.

(This is a Greek taverna dish which sounds odd but is surprisingly good.  Warning - that spread is super garlic-y!!  I made this when I was sick, so the garlic was kind of a welcome tonic.  Brought this to work for lunches with some beets and spread and a little bit of torn lettuce leaves mixed in.  Like I said, odd but good.)

Miso Harissa Delicata Squash

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

1/2 lb. small fingerling potatoes, washed and dried
3/4 lb. delicata squash
1/4 cup olive oil
scant 1/4 cup white miso
scant 1 Tbsp. harissa paste
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 ounce kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
4 radishes, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounce Marcona almonds, toasted pepitas, or other toasted nuts

Preheat the oven to 400F.  If the potatoes aren't tiny, slice them into pieces no larger than your thumb.  Cut the delicata squash in half length-wise, and use a spoon to clear out all the seeds.  Cut into 1/2-inch wide half-moons.  You can leave the peel on these squash.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, miso, and harissa.  Place the potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 1/3 cup of the miso-harissa oil.  Use your hands to toss well, then turn everything out onto a baking sheet.  Bake until everything is baked through and browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Toss once or twice along the way after things start to brown a bit.  Keep an eye on things though, you can go from browned to burned in a flash.

In the meantime, whisk the lemon juice into the remaining miso-harissa oil.  Taste, it should be intensely flavorful, but if yours is too spicy or salty, you can dilute it with a bit more olive oil or lemon juice.  Stir the kale into the leftover dressing and set aside.

Place the warm roasted vegetables in a bowl and toss with the kale mixture, radishes, and almonds.

Serves 2 to 4.

(Absolutely amazing!  Make this at once!!)

Ribollita Soup

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

Ribollita, a traditional hearty Tuscan soup typically uses day-old bread to add body and thicken the broth. This version uses a bean mash, which keeps the soup gluten-free and adds fiber.

Serves 8.

1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed (I used equivalent amount cooked dried beans)
1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and sliced, white and light green parts only
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced zucchini
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 head Savoy or green cabbage, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups diced russet potatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. celery seed
crushed red pepper to taste

Using a potato masher, mash half the beans into a paste.  Set aside.

Saute leek and garlic in 1/2 cup broth, stirring, until translucent and tender, 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not brown.  Season with 1/8 tsp. pepper.  Stir in carrots, celery, and zucchini; cook, stirring, until nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes.  Season with 1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper.

When the carrots and celery are nearly tender, stir in cabbage.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 6 minutes.  Add potatoes, broth, water, tomatoes and juice, the bean mash and whole beans, thyme, and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Season with celery seed, crushed red peppper and the remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until all of the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

(A hearty and delicious vegetable soup!  I added 1/2 of a small can of tomato paste to this.  Makes a lot!)

Potato, Asparagus & Mushroom Hash

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

Serves 4.

1 lb. new or baby potatoes, scrubbed, halved if large
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz. shitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
fresh chives for garnish

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil.  Put potatoes in the basket and steam until barely tender when pierced with a skewer, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on size.  When cool enough to handle, chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large (not nonstick) skillet over medium heat.  Add asparagus, mushrooms, shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan.  Add onion and the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits with a metal spatula, until the potatoes are browned, 4 to 8 minutes  Return the asparagus mixture to the pan along with the roasted red pepper, sage, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.  Serve sprinkled with chives, if desired.

(This is meant as a breakfast entree, served with toast and topped with an egg.  However, I ate this cold for my lunches, kind of like a potato salad.  It's a tasty combination of vegetables.  Topped with fresh chives, very light and springtime-y.)

Veggie Chowder

(based on a recipe from Whole Foods Market for Salmon Chowder)

Serves 4.

1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup celery
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups vegetable broth (maybe more, if chowder seems too thick)
1/2 cup milk alternative (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup silken tofu, blended with a small amount of water till creamy
2 cups cooked white beans (I used navy beans)
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup cooked millet
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. minced chives for garnish

Saute onion and celery in a soup pot with 1/2 cup of the broth, until onion is translucent.  Add potatoes and saute about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Do not brown.  Add carrots and remaining broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Add milk, tofu, beans, mushrooms, millet, parsley, dill and pepper.  Simmer over low heat 5 to 8 minutes.  Add more dill, pepper, or salt to taste.  Garnish with chives.

(This was tasty enough, and seemed to get better after a day or two.  In hindsight, instead of the silken tofu, I might use some blended, soaked cashews next time I am looking for creaminess in a recipe.  I believe cashews add a "buttery" quality, which may work well in this type of chowder.  I added the mushrooms, beans, and millet in place of the salmon in the recipe, which seemed to work well.)

Spring Salad with New Potatoes and Pickled Spring Onions

(recipe from Smitten Kitchen, online)

2 lbs. small new or fingerling potatoes (a mix of reds and golds is nice)
1 lb. asparagus
1/4 lb. snap peas, green beans or other spring pea
4 small-to-medium radishes, thinly sliced

Pickled Spring Onions
3 spring onions
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar (I used honey)

Sharp Mustard Vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with one inch of water.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces through a potato.  Drain the potatoes and let them cool until they're almost room temperature.  You can hasten this by covering them with cold water, and replacing the water a few times as it warms up.

Meanwhile, pickle your spring onions.  Whisk vinegar, water, salt, and sugar together in a small container with a lid until the salt and sugar dissolve.  Slice the bulbs and paler green parts into very thin coins and submerge them in the vinegar mixture.  Cover and put in the fridge until you're ready to use them; if you can put them aside for an hour or even overnight, the better.  Reserve the onion greens.

Refill the saucepan you used for the potatoes (here's to fewer dishes!) with salted water and bring it to a boil.  Prepare an ice bath, a large bowl with ice and water in it.  Trim the tough ends off the asparagus.  Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus.  One minute later, add the snap peas.  Two minutes later, drain both together then dump them in the ice bath until chilled.  Drain the vegetables and spread them out on a towel to absorb excess water.

Slice the cooked asparagus spears and snap peas into 1/2-inch segments and place them in a large bowl.  Chop potatoes into moderate-sized chunks and add them to the bowl.  Cut the radishes as thinly as possible.  If they're especially big, you can first quarter them lengthwise.  Cut the reserved onion greens into thin slivers and add them to the bowl.

When you're ready to serve the salad, or an hour or two in advance, whisk the dressing ingredients and toss it with the vegetables, to taste.  (You may find you don't want to use all of it.)  Stir in as many pickled onion coins as you please.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Do ahead:  Pickles can be started in the day or days before.  Potatoes can be boiled and chilled in fridge overnight, as can other vegetables.  Vinaigrette can be made in advance as well, but you may want to wait till the last minute to toss it with the vegetables, as the vinegar, over a long sitting time, can ever-so-slightly discolor the cut edges of the asparagus and beans.

(I made this 8/24/11 with the intention of it being for my week's lunches.  Justin came over to drink old-fashioned's and watch Mad Men.  We ended up eating most of the potato salad, too.  Justin said it was the best!  It is ridiculously good, especially if you're a mustard lover like me.)