OPEN-FACED EGG SALAD SANDWICHES

A delicious and classic egg salad recipe should be in everyone's lunch repertoire. Some people like the eggs chopped but I prefer them pushed through a ricer. If you don't have a ricer, use a potato masher. Now, let me address the lettuce. I like to use a soft lettuce of the butterhead family. You will find them labeled Bibb, Butter, Buttercrunch, Thom Thumb, and Boston. I easily found Bibb lettuce for my sandwiches. Bibb lettuce was developed by John Bibb, a Kentucky farmer, in the mid 1800s.

6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

2 stalks celery, with leaves, minced

¼ cup finely diced red onion

2 T snipped chives

2 T melted unsalted butter

6 T good quality mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Good quality bread, toasted

Mayonnaise for spreading on toast

Soft Bibb lettuce

Pinch cayenne pepper

Using about 2 eggs at a time, place in a hand-ricer and press through into a medium size bowl.
Alternatively, you can mash the eggs with a potato masher to the fineness you like.

Add celery, red onion, chives, and melted butter.

Stir in mayonnaise and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Add a small amount of mayonnaise to each slice.

Place a leaf of lettuce on top of each slice of bread.

Spoon on the egg salad and add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Serves 4 to 6