Ingredients :

• Dijon mustard — It’s not just there for a kick. It acts as the bridge between the mayo and the lemon, gives roundness to the whole, and prevents the taste from falling flat. Use a classic Dijon, not wholegrain — the seeds would change the texture in the wrong way.
• Smoked paprika — This is the trick chefs slide in without explaining much. Half a teaspoon is enough to provide a soft, earthy warmth that distinguishes this salad from all others. Avoid ordinary sweet paprika — the smoke does the work, not the color.
• Fresh lemon — Not bottled juice. A real lemon squeezed on the spot. The acidity of fresh juice is brighter and less bitter — it cuts through the mayo’s richness without overpowering the rest. One tablespoon is all it takes.
• Celery — Its role is purely textural: providing a sharp crunch in the middle of all that creaminess. Slice it very thin, in small regular cubes. Too big, and it takes over, turning it into a celery salad instead of an egg salad.