This recipe from our spring vegetable correspondent is creamy, tangy, and perfect for your next potluck picnic.

The weather gives way to consistent warmth this time of year, and there's a natural desire to do everything outdoors: Beer-drinking, studying, working out, and — most important of all — eating. A beautiful, leisurely afternoon outside almost always calls for a potluck picnic.

There's a lot of pressure in a potluck situation, though. Will your dish be up to snuff? Will the meal be complete if everyone is focused on their own thing? Will food taste as good after travel time and exposure to the elements? Is there going to be enough wine?! There's a lot to think about and plan ahead for.

If I'm picnicking with pals, I generally aim to bring something that's more or less complete in and of itself, a dish that won't hinge on the existence of another food item. That's why pasta salads work so well; they offer a nice mix of approachable carbs and vegetables that's tasty, light, and seasonal. But I've never been into typical, way-too-much-mayonnaise macaroni salads. The texture is often one-note and if the temperature unexpectedly goes up, that mayo could make for some upset stomachs. So I started making creamy, tangy, heat-proof, and vegan dressing for this kind of situation.

You start by softening up the whites of either green onions or leeks, then blend them with something acidic and a bit of mustard and oil. Pair that with a salad of sweet and crunchy snap peas, tender asparagus, bowl-shaped orecchiette pasta (although you could use any shape you like), salty olives, and some quick-pickled chilies for heat. It's a little unusual, but there's something for everyone here.