As mentioned in the introduction to this book, the definition of
what equals a sandwich and what does not can be a contentious issue. The
smørrebrød, a Scandinavian “open sandwich” is just such a classic, however—I
feared the prospect of hate mail from angry Scandinavians if I had not included
it.
The smørrebrød
(pronounced ‘smurd-a-bra’) is basically a slice of buttered, dark rye bread,
which is then used as a base for a tower of different toppings that may include
(but are not limited to) pickled herrings, smoked salmon, meats, cheeses,
vegetables, red onion rings, and thick, remoulade-style sauces.
Originally found hiding in lucky workers’ lunch
boxes, topped with homecooked cold cuts, the smørrebrød was adopted and adapted
by society’s elite, who piled them high with extravagant ingredients. There are
many possible combinations but one thing is constant— the smørrebrød should
always be too pretty to eat. Almost.
Makes 1
INGREDIENTS
1 slice dark rye bread
Butter, at room temperature
1 cold hard-boiled egg, peeled and
sliced
10 small cooked peeled shrimp (prawns)
1 tbsp mayonnaise
A small sprig of fresh dill, finely
chopped
A squeeze of lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
A little salmon roe, to serve (optional)
Spread the rye bread with butter and top with
slices of egg. In a bowl, mix the shrimp (prawns) with the mayonnaise, dill,
and lemon juice, to taste. Season with salt and pepper and then pile onto the
smorrebrod. Top with a little salmon roe, if using.
