all-american three-bean salad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

So not-high-end, so retro, and yet so good. I couldn’t believe I was using a canned green vegetable, but I wanted to get this as close as possible to the American picnic classic of my youth, and canned green beans (which I always have secretly liked anyway) are the authentic choice. Also, in keeping with the not-fancy theme, you might be pleased (and a few pennies richer) to know that regular yellow mustard works best for this, so put away that Dijon or grainy type for now. And just this once, in a pinch, you could substitute ½ cup good-quality bottled Italian dressing or vinaigrette (such as Newman’s Own) for your own brilliant homemade batch. That’s “could,” not “should.”

This salad is vegan.

One 15-ounce can chickpeas (about 1½ cups cooked chickpeas)

One 15-ounce can red kidney beans (about 1½ cups cooked beans)

One 15-ounce can green beans (about 1½ cups cooked beans; see get creative)

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

¾ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 stalk celery, diced

Half a small red bell pepper, minced

¼ cup minced red onion

1. Set a colander in the sink and pour in the contents of the three cans of beans. Give them a quick rinse and allow them to drain.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper.

3. Add the drained beans, celery, bell pepper, and onion to the dressing, and toss well to mix. Cover the bowl tightly, and let the salad marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Stir (or shake) occasionally to marinate evenly. Serve cold.

GET CREATIVE

To make this with fresh green beans, put a medium-sized pot of cold water over high heat, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Place a colander in the sink. Meanwhile, trim and discard the stem ends from ¼ pound green beans, and cut the beans into 1½-inch-long pieces. When the water boils, turn the heat down to low and add the beans. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the beans are done to your liking. Drain them in the colander, and then rinse with cold water and drain again. Pat dry with paper towels or a clean, dry dish towel, and add to the salad.

potato salad, basic and beyond

Makes 4 servings (possibly more, if you add a lot from the get creative list)

This is a very, very basic recipe. The salad tastes great in its pure form, and I’ve given you many ideas to spruce it up. The best potatoes for this are the waxy varieties (Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, small red “creamers”). A combination of colors is guaranteed to be beautiful. You can even use red, white, and blue potatoes for a Fourth of July picnic. Peeling is easiest after the potatoes are cooked. Even easier is not peeling, which adds flavor, color, and nutrients. This salad needs time to chill completely, so you might want to make it a day ahead.

Make this vegan by replacing the mayonnaise and yogurt with eggless vegan mayonnaise.

Salt for the cooking water

1½ pounds potatoes (about 2-inch diameter), scrubbed

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup plain yogurt

¼ teaspoon salt (possibly more)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (possibly more)

¼ cup finely minced red onion

1. Put a medium-sized pot of cold water over high heat, add a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Place a colander in the sink. When the water boils, turn the heat down to low, add the potatoes, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until very tender (easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife—you don’t want the potatoes to be at all crunchy). Drain them in the colander, and then dry them by patting them with paper towels or a clean, dry dish towel.

2. While the potatoes are simmering, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, salt, and pepper in a medium-large bowl. Add the onion, and mix well.

3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, you can peel and discard the skins (use your fingers or a sharp knife) or leave the skins on (especially if you want the red of red potatoes, since their insides are white). Cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks, and transfer them to the bowl containing the other ingredients. Toss gently until everything is well combined, then cover the bowl tightly and chill until cold.

4. If the potatoes seem to have soaked up too much of the dressing while chilling, add a tablespoon more each of the mayonnaise and the yogurt. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.