Egg Salad Sandwich

The key to a good egg salad is in how you cook the eggs. Hard boiled eggs, as simple as they seem, take some practice to perfect. I detailed my new found method in step 1 below. I've repeated it several times now and always achieved the same result: a soft and creamy yellow center, a pure solid white (no green ring in sight), and a shell that practically slips right off.

Because egg salad is all about the eggs, I think you should keep it simple. I didn't even bother with mustard (but left the option for you mustard lovers). This is how egg salad should be done: gently chunked eggs, light on the mayonnaise (notice I've included a lighter alternative), celery for crunch, chives for kick, and a splash of lemon to freshen it up. Serve it piled high on toasted whole wheat over a slice of smooth butter lettuce. (Yes, I made that whole wheat bread! Recipe found here.)

INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs
2-3 Tbsp. mayonnaise (you can try using Greek yogurt for part of the mayo)
squirt of mustard, to taste (optional- I went without)
1 large or 2 small stalks celery, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh chives, chopped
splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
8 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
4 butter lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes undisturbed. Remove the eggs from the water and rinse in cold water or set in a bowl full of ice water until cooled. Crack and peel each egg and place in a medium sized bowl.

2. Add the mayonnaise, mustard (optional), and a splash of lemon juice. Mash with a fork into bite-size chunks. Stir in the celery and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. To assemble the sandwich, place lettuce on one slice of the toasted bread. Top with some of the egg salad mixture, then the second slice of bread. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Makes 4 sandwiches (or 2 very large ones).

(Adapted from 101 Cookbooks)