Simple Egg Salad

Cover them with cold water, bring to a boil, then take the pan off the heat and leave them covered for about ten minutes before cooling and peeling. The recipe starts from eggs that are already cooked and chopped, so this happens before you begin.

Yes, though the ranch is the point of this version and gives it the herby tang that plain mayonnaise does not. If you swap it, use the same 3 tablespoons and consider a little dried dill or garlic powder to make up the difference.

Plain yellow mustard is the safe choice and keeps the salad mild. Dijon works if you want it sharper, but use slightly less than the tablespoon called for, as it is stronger than the American style.

The cucumber. It keeps releasing liquid after it is chopped, so pat it dry before it goes in, and dress the salad close to when you plan to eat it rather than hours ahead.

Keep it covered in the fridge and eat it within a couple of days. Do not leave it standing at room temperature while making sandwiches for a group, and throw away anything that has sat out for a long stretch.

Sandwich bread, crackers or lettuce leaves all suit it. The cucumber makes this version lighter than a mayonnaise-heavy one, so it holds up well in a wrap or on a salad rather than only in a sandwich.