Classic Egg Salad Lettuce Cups

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   PREPARE THE EGGS: Peel the hard-boiled eggs (if not already peeled). Using a sharp knife, roughly chop the eggs - you want a mix of chunky and smaller pieces for good texture. Don't mash them completely; some larger pieces are nice. If you need to hard-boil eggs: place in cold water, bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat, let sit 12 minutes, then transfer to ice water.

2. 2

   MAKE THE DRESSING: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until smooth. Add the finely diced celery, sliced green onions, and chopped fresh dill. Stir to combine. The celery adds essential crunch to the salad.

3. 3

   MIX THE SALAD: Add the chopped eggs to the bowl with the dressing. Fold gently with a rubber spatula to combine, being careful not to mash the eggs too much. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste - start with 1/4 teaspoon salt and adjust.

4. 4

   PREPARE THE LETTUCE CUPS: Carefully separate the butter lettuce leaves from the head, keeping them as intact as possible. Rinse gently under cool water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Select 8-12 of the largest, most cup-shaped leaves for serving.

5. 5

   FILL THE CUPS: Arrange the lettuce cups on a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon a generous amount of egg salad into each lettuce cup - about 2-3 tablespoons per cup. Don't overfill or they'll be hard to eat.

6. 6

   GARNISH AND SERVE: Dust each filled cup with a light sprinkle of paprika for color and a subtle smoky note. Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp. These are best eaten the same day.