Lunch

New Potato Smørrebrød with Garlic Aïoli and Crispy Shallots

March 17, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Who puts cold potatoes on a sandwich? Scandinavians do. And it’s downright delicious.

This New Potato Smørrebrød is one of the first Nordic open sandwiches I attempted to make in my own kitchen after learning how to bake my own rugbrød. I needed to find a way to put that deliciously dense rye bread to use, and I was a bit new to the whole world of smørrebrød. This new potato Nordic open sandwich captured my heart and led to an intense interest (some might say obsession) for smørrebrød that continues to this day.

The way the flavors of this New Potato Smørrebrød come together is unexpectedly delightful. I would never have thought that cold potatoes on a sandwich would be such a great idea. It turns out that dense rye bread topped with greens, thin, tender slices of potato, a dollop of garlicky aïoli and a shower of crispy shallots is pure culinary magic.

If you happen to have some leftover boiled potatoes in the fridge, go ahead and use them. And if you want to skip making your own Crispy Fried Shallots, I’m fine with that. You can make your life a little easier by buying crispy onions at the store (although the homemade ones are pretty special and you SHOULD give them a try sometime).

Keep a close eye on the boiled potatoes…it’s nice if they are not overcooked as they slice more easily without falling a part. JUST tender potatoes is what you are after here.

If you really want to take your Nordic culinary vibes to the next level, bake a batch of rugbrød and give this New Potato Smørrebrød a try. It is so surprisingly delicious and so very Scandinavian. Let me know how it goes in the comments below! I always love hearing from you. Need some more smørrebrød recipes? I’ve got you covered:

New Potato Smørrebrød with Garlic Aïoli and Crispy Shallots

An easy recipe for a classic Scandinavian open sandwich featuring sliced new potatoes, garlicky mayo and irresistable crispy fried shallots.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 small sandwiches (serves 2)
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Swedish

Ingredients

For the Smørrebrød:

4 thin slices dense rye bread such as rugbrød

Butter for spreading, preferably salted

A handful or two of baby arugula leaves

8-10 small red or yellow potatoes

Garlic Aïoli, recipe follows

Crispy Onions, such as the Lars brand, or homemade Crispy Fried Shallots

Chopped chives, microgreens and/or sprouts

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Garlic Aïoli:

1 small garlic clove

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and pepper

Instructions

Place new potatoes in cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Smaller potatoes will obviously cook more quickly than larger potatoes. Check doneness by piercing a potato or two with the tip of a sharp knife. It should slide in and out easily without much resistance. Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool. Potatoes can be prepared up to two days in advance. Store in the refrigerator.
Make the Garlic Aïoli: Mince garlic clove and let sit in lemon juice for 10 minutes or so to mellow out the raw garlic flavor. Add mayonnaise and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Aioli can be made up to two days in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Butter each slice of bread. Place a layer of baby arugula leaves on top. Slice new potatoes into thin (1/4 inch thick) slices and arrange artfully over the arugula. Salt and pepper the potato slices to taste. Spoon aïoli over potatoes (I like to place the sauce in the center between the two rows of potato slices) and scatter crispy onions or shallots and chives, microgreens and/or sprouts on top. Serve.

Notes

Keywords: smørrebrød, smörgås, open sandwich, rye, rugbrød, new potato, Scandinavian, Nordic, aïoli, Danish

Easiest and Best Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup (Dairy-Free)

March 13, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

I love creamy vegetable soups, and I have a few favorites that I rotate throughout the year depending on what is in season. This Roasted Cauliflower Soup is one that I make throughout fall and winter, and it’s definitely something I look forward to when the weather begins to turn chilly.

Cauliflower is definitely having a moment. What was once a boring, bland vegetable for the crudité tray is now the darling of the culinary world. People make it into rice and use it to make pizza crust. Who knew that was even possible? And possibly the most important advancement in cauliflower cookery…..ROASTING. Yes, the high heat of the oven works its transformative magic on cauliflower, coaxing out a toasty sweetness from this otherwise mild-flavored vegetable.

Roasting = Flavor

As I began developing the recipe for this Roasted Cauliflower Soup, I began to wonder if the roasting step was actually necessary. There are plenty of recipes for cauliflower soup that simply call for sautéing aromatics in olive oil or butter and then simmering the cauliflower florets in broth prior to pureeing the soup. This seemed appealing and straightforward so I decided to give it a try.

You’ve probably already guessed the results of my experiment…the toasty depth of the roasted cauliflower was sorely missed and the soups was, well, kind of bland and boring. The takeaway: Roast your cauliflower. And while you’re at it you might was well add the onion and garlic to the sheet pan as well! This eliminates the extra step of sautéing the aromatics prior to adding the broth and roasted cauliflower to the pot. And as we already know, roasting = flavor.

Add Rice for a Creamy Texture

Finally, I wanted my Roasted Cauliflower Soup to be creamy. I tried a few different versions that called for cream or butter to finish the soup, but I just didn’t love the way the dairy muted the flavor of the roasted cauliflower. And then I remembered a little trick I picked up in culinary school for thickening vegetable soups: add a couple of tablespoons of rice to the broth and vegetables as they simmer. After a trip through the blender, this modest amount of rice provided luxurious, creamy body to the soup without any dairy at all. I most definitely had a a winner of a soup at this point, and it was surprisingly dairy-free and vegan!

Keep the Garnishes Simple

But how to garnish it? I tried several options, including a parsley-caper relish (overpowering) and toasted rye breadcrumbs (couldn’t get them quite crisp enough). I finally decided to keep it simple and toss some cubes of sourdough bread in olive oil, salt and pepper and toast them in the oven (it was already on, after all). This, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of chopped chives, was just what the soup needed to finish it off with a little something crispy, colorful and satisfying. If you happen to have a loaf of Danish Oat Bread or Chive Ricotta bread, either one would make fabulous croutons!

I hope you give this soup a try! You can probably just squeeze it in before spring arrives in earnest. It makes an excellent light supper any night of the week.