Smørrebrød

Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with White Bean Purée

May 27, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

This Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with White Bean Purée hits all of the right notes. Crispy sourdough toast, creamy white bean purée and spicy glazed mushrooms come together to create a something that is both light and satisfying. Oh, and it just happens to be vegan!

White beans, garlic and olive oil in a food processor work bowl

We are deviating from a few of the basics of smørrebrød here…no dense rye bread and no butter. But trust me, the diversion is worth it. I love the way the creamy white bean spread pairs with the garlic-rubbed toasted sourdough.

Making the White Bean Purée

This garlic and rosemary white bean purée is probably deserving of its own post entirely. It is so simple to make and a nice, plant-forward change from hummus. You could use this white bean purée as a sandwich base as I have here, or simply as a dip with crispbread or pita chips. It is incredibly versatile and delicious. Need some other ideas for topping this white bean purée on sourdough toast? It would also be fabulous with:

these roasted cherry tomatoes + chopped fresh basil (hello summer!)
this roasted broccoli, sun-dried tomato and olive mixture
arugula dressed with a squeeze of lemon and extra virgin olive oil + these pickled onions

White bean purée in a food processor work bowl

My recipe uses a food processor, which is the best way to use achieve a creamy purée, but if you were in a hurry or didn’t happen to have a food processor, you could create a more “rustic mash” of white beans for your sandwich using the back of a fork….just as delicious but a little less luxurious in texture. You can make your white bean purée a couple of days ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble your sandwiches.

Making the Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms

These balsamic-glazed mushrooms add just the right sweet/spicy/umami note to this open sandwich. They come together in a flash, and would make a nice side dish in their own right, maybe with a grilled burger or snuggled next to this Warm Barley Salad with Fresh Herbs. Feel free to make them a couple of days ahead of time and simply reheat them when you are ready to serve. They store well and are very forgiving.

If you are taking this on the go, I would suggest swapping out the toast for some crispbread and keeping the components separate until you are ready to assemble them and eat.

I hope you give this Smørrebrød with Balamic Mushrooms and White Bean Purée a try!! It is a favorite around our house and I bet you will love it as well. Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments below! I LOVE hearing from you.

Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with White Bean Purée

A delicious (and vegan!) open sandwich featuring a garlic and rosemary white bean purėe, balsamic-glazed mushrooms and tender arugula piled high on top of toasted sourdough bread.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 triangular sandwiches 1x
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic
Diet: Vegan

Scale

Ingredients

For the Smørrebrød:

2 large slices of sourdough bread

1 garlic clove, peeled

White Bean Purée (recipe follows)

A handful or two of baby arugula

Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms (recipe follows)

For the White Bean Purée:

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12-16 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, rinsed and cut into quarters

Coarse salt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Make the White Bean Purée: Reserve 1/4 cup of the beans and set aside. Place remaining beans in the work bowl of a food processor along with water, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Process until smooth.
Add rosemary and reserved beans and pulse until beans are slightly broken down and rosemary is combined into the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms: Heat olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high and sauté mushrooms until tender and golden brown, approximately 7-9 minutes.
Add vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook until vinegar forms a light glaze over the mushrooms, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt. Set aside to cool slightly.
Assemble sandwiches: Toast bread and slice on the diagonal into triangle shapes. Rub garlic clove over the surface of one side of each piece of toast.
Spread a generous layer of White Bean Purée over each slice of toast (there will be some puree left over).
Scatter arugula on top of the purée. Place Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms on top of arugula, dividing the mushrooms evenly between the 4 sandwiches. Serve.

Keywords: mushrooms, vegan, vegetarian, smørrebrød, smörgås, sandwich, white beans, arugula

Simple Egg Salad Smørrebrød

April 28, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Egg salad is a classic topping for Danish smørrebrød for good reason. The creamy, rich salad is a perfect pair for the hearty rye base and a handful of fresh greens. It’s also something simple that you can likely whip up with what you have on hand.

My recipe for the egg salad itself doesn’t call for any fancy ingredients and can easily be adapted to what you have in your fridge. The capers are a nice touch, though, if you have them and some kind of soft fresh herb (tarragon, parsley, chives, basil) really perks up the salad and adds pleasant flecks of green for visual appeal. And if you don’t have any rye bread around, toasted bread of any kind would be a nice base for this open sandwich. Egg salad is also delicious on top of crispbread or crackers!

Making egg salad is not difficult, but I do have a few tips and tricks for helping yours turn out creamy and delicious every time.

Start with perfectly boiled eggs. I’ve been using the method outlined here for years and I swear by it. Simply submerge the eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cover for exactly 10 minutes. Transfer to cold water to stop the cooking. Perfect hard-boiled eggs every time!
Create a delicious creamy base. I like to use mostly mayonnaise, a little bit of sour cream and a few teaspoons of dijon mustard. Creme fraiche might be a nice stand in for the sour cream or even yogurt!
Whisk in the cooked egg yolks before adding the whites. It’s nice to be able to really whisk those yolks into the creamy base vigorously without having to worry about damaging your nicely chopped egg whites.
Add some flavor and crunch. I love the briny capers in here along with a little chopped shallot and tarragon. But you could add a variety of things at this point: chopped green onions, celery, pickles, parsley, basil, chives…..all would be delicious here!

I hope you give this Egg Salad Smørrebrød a try! Yes, it is simple and basic, but sometimes simple is best, don’t you think? Let me know how it turns out in the comments below! I always love hearing from you.

Simple Egg Salad Smørrebrød

A simple recipe for a classic Danish open sandwich featuring creamy egg salad with capers and fresh tarragon.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 open sandwiches
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Danish, Scandinavian, Nordic
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

For the Smørrebrød:

4 thin slices dense rye bread such as rugbrød

Butter for spreading

2-3 handfuls of baby arugula leaves or other baby lettuces

4 radishes, sliced thin (optional)

For the Egg Salad:

4 large eggs

3 tablespoons prepared mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sour cream

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, chives and/or parsley

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Make the Egg Salad: Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Set over medium high heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, remove the pan from the heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Remove eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl filled with cold water and ice. Let the eggs rest in the ice bath while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Peel the eggs and cut in half. Transfer the yolks to the bowl. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Cut the egg whites into a medium dice. Fold into the mayonnaise mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer rye bread slices to a clean surface. Butter the bread. Place a handful of arugula leaves on top of the butter. Divide egg salad evenly between the slices of bread. Top each sandwich with radish slices if desired. Serve.

Keywords: egg salad, smørrebrød, simple, sandwich, capers, Danish, Scandinavian, Nordic

Sourdough Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

April 21, 2020 by Kristi 6 Comments

So…do you have a sourdough starter bubbling away on your countertop yet? Many of you must because I’ve had several recent requests for a sourdough version of rugbrød, the dense Danish rye bread that is often used as the base for smørrebrød. So I figured it was probably time to get this recipe up on the blog!

I’ve been making this sourdough rugbrød for several years now, long before I created this easy overnight version that I posted on the blog last fall. At the time, I figured that a lot of people don’t keep sourdough starters at home, and they might appreciate a version that relies on commercial yeast for leavening. But, there is something to be said for making the real thing with your very own sourdough starter. Not only is it satisfying to use wild yeast for leavening, it also creates a delicious bread with a subtle tang that you will only get through the sourdough process. Sourdough bread also lasts longer than bread leavened with commercial yeast thanks to its acidic nature. So let’s get started with the basics, shall we?

WHAT IS RUGBRØD?

Rugbrød simply means “rye bread” in Danish. It is a sturdy, dense loaf that is comprised of rye flour, chopped rye grains and is often studded with sunflower, pumpkin and/or flax seeds. It is almost always baked in a 13 x 4 inch pullman pan with a lid. This helps the rye bread bake properly and gives it its characteristic square shape.

Rye breads, particularly those baked here in America, often have a variety of ingredients added to them to enhance their color (making them darker in appearance) and flavor. Common additions include caramel coloring (no thank you), stout beer, cocoa powder, espresso powder and molasses. Rugbrød, in contrast, has very little additional flavoring, perhaps just a little molasses for sweetening. It is meant to be a very straightforward bread so that it can serve as a neutral base for a variety of different sandwich toppings. Sometimes I will come across a rugbrød recipe that calls for flavor enhancers such as caraway, fennel or anise seed in the dough, but this seems to be more of an exception than the rule. Again, simple is the name of the game here.

When it is served, Rugbrød is typically sliced thin (a little less than a quarter of an inch) and buttered liberally with salted butter. There is actually a word in Danish, tandsmør, which means “tooth butter”. It refers to buttering your bread generously enough so that when you bite into it you can see your teeth marks in it. You butter lovers know what I’m talking about. It may be enjoyed as is, simply slathered with butter, or it can be piled with additional ingredients to form the base of smørrebrød, the famous Danish open sandwich.

New Potato Smørrebrød with Garlic Aïoli and Crispy Shallots

WHAT MAKES RYE SO SPECIAL?

Rye has many unique qualities that make it quite different from wheat, both as a whole grain and in flour form:

Rye has historically been important for the Nordic region as it is a hearty plant that can tolerate poor soil and weathers cold and wet conditions better than most grains. It was the primary grain relied upon for bread-baking in the north for centuries and is still popular today.
Rye flour has less gluten than wheat flour. Gluten strands form the structure of bread and trap gases produced by the yeast so that your bread leavens properly. Because gluten doesn’t form well when rye flour is mixed with water, rye breads are always more dense in structure and have a closer crumb that wheat breads.
Rye flour holds more water than wheat flour and contains certain enzymes that convert starch to sugar. This can cause rye breads to be overly moist and have a gummy texture if not handled and baked properly.
Your sourdough starter will help your loaf of rye bread succeed. While rye’s unique qualities can make it challenging to use in a bread recipe, your sourdough starter can help counteract some of those challenges. Using a sourdough starter contributes certain acids to the dough which help neutralize some of the negative effects of the enzymes that can cause the bread to have a gummy texture.
Rye breads get better with a little age. Unlike wheat breads which are best eaten shortly after cooling, both the texture and flavor of rye bread improves after a rest of 24-36 hours.
An interesting fact: There is a fungus called ergot that can attack rye plants causing the grains to become highly toxic to humans and trigger hallucinations if ingested. Some historians believe that ergot-infested rye was the cause of the hallucinations that led to the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts in 1692. Fortunately, modern industrialization has all but eliminated any risk of ergot-infected rye as any diseased grains are removed prior to processing.

The Sourdough Process

Making sourdough rugbrød is really quite simple. Here is a quick overview of the process from start to finish:

Weighing Your Ingredients in Grams

The first thing you might notice about the recipe is that it is written in grams. Don’t let that intimidate you. Most sourdough recipes are written by weight in grams and it is actually a really easy and accurate way to bake. Simply zero out your kitchen scale with the bowl you plan to use sitting on top. Set the scale to grams and start weighing! Seriously….easier than cups and spoons. Just remember to zero out your scale every time you add a new ingredient.

The Day Before You Bake: Refresh Your Starter

It’s best to a use refreshed and ripe sourdough starter when you begin to build your dough. What does “refreshed and ripe” mean? Simply that you fed your starter about 8 hour prior to when you plan to use it. It should be bubbly, active and puffy throughout.

The Night Before You Bake: Create a Levain

This recipe calls for a levain, which is a term for a portion of the dough that will ferment overnight before we mix the final dough. A levain consists of water, flour and a bit of ripe sourdough starter.

The Night Before You Bake: Create a Soaker

This recipe also calls for a soaker. This is a mixture of rye chops (or Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Hot Cereal Mix) and seeds that will sit overnight in water prior to adding it to the final dough. Soaking these ingredients overnight in water helps soften them so that they will have a pleasant texture in the final loaf.

The Next Morning: Build Your Final Dough

Your levain and soaker have been sitting overnight and it’s time to put the final dough together. This couldn’t be easier. Simply add all the ingredients for the dough to the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer. Mix on low for a few minutes and then increase the speed to medium for a few minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. That’s it! There is no kneading of this dough by hand as it is far too sticky to do so.

The Rise

From here we scrape the dough into a greased and floured 13 x 4 pullman loaf pan with a lid. And then we wait. We let the dough rise and do its thing while we attend to whatever it is that we need to do. The dough should come within 1/2 inch of the top of the pan before we pop it in the oven. This will take anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 4 hours depending on the temperature of the dough and the temperature of your kitchen. Be patient and move your dough to a warmer spot if you want to speed things up a little. I will often turn the oven on and then let the pan sit on top of the stove while the oven preheats.

The Bake

So what’s up with the different baking temperatures in this recipe? They really do have a purpose, I promise. This method of baking helps prevent the enzymes that produce a gummy texture in rye breads from developing by keeping the loaf from spending too much time in the temperature zone where enzyme formation is the most favorable. The texture of your your bread will be moist and cooked evenly all the way through….just like you want it to be!

If you make your own smørrebrød at home or would like to, please give this sourdough rugbrød a try. It is one of the most delicious and nutritious breads out there and a great way to dip your toe into the world of sourdough. And using it as a base for a Nordic open sandwich will give you a true taste of authenticity. If you are new to smørrebrød, there are several open sandwich recipes on the blog to get you started:

Sourdough Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

An easy and straightforward recipe for authentic sourdough Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød). Perfect for creating delicious Nordic open sandwiches known as smørrebrød!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 30 minutes+fermenting and rising time
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time: 16 hours (largely unattended)
Yield: 1 13 inch loaf 1x
Category: breads, rye, smørrebrød
Method: baking, sourdough
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Danish

Scale

Ingredients

Special Equipment Needed:

Kitchen scale

Heavy duty stand mixer

13 x 4 inch pullman loaf pan with lid

Ingredients for the Night Before:

For the Levain:

300 grams dark rye flour

100 grams bread flour

350 grams water

70 grams ripe sourdough starter

For the Soaker:

75 grams rye chops or 7 grain hot cereal such as Bob’s Red Mill

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup flax seeds

285 grams water

Ingredients for the Day of Baking:

All of the Levain

All of the Soaker

200 grams dark rye flour

130 grams bread flour

180 grams water

18 grams salt

2 tablespoons molasses

Instructions

The night before, make the Levain and the Soaker: Combine the ingredients for the Levain in a medium bowl. Stir with a spoon to combine (mixture will be thick and the texture of wet cement). Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight, approximately 12 hours. Combine the ingredients for the Soaker in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight, approximately 12 hours.
The next morning, grease a 13 x 4 inch pullman loaf pan (with a lid) and dust it with rye flour. Set aside.
Combine the Levain and the Soaker in the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer. Add remaining dough ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix and periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl for another 4 minutes.
Using a sturdy spoon or spatula, transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan, distributing it evenly across the length of the pan and smoothing out the top with a rubber spatula (if you are having trouble smoothing out the top, dampen the spatula slightly with water). Dust the surface of the loaf generously with rye flour. Put the cover on the loaf pan and let it rise until it comes to within a ½ inch of the top of the pan. This may take anywhere from 1 ½-4 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the dough.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the covered loaf pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees. Bake, covered, for an additional 15 minutes. Pull the loaf pan from the oven and remove the lid. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 325 degrees and continue to bake, uncovered, for an additional 45 minutes. Remove loaf from the oven and tip out onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing. Rye breads improve after a bit of resting time. If you can wait until the following day to slice into it, wrap the completely cooled loaf loosely in foil and let it cure until the next day. The bread will keep for about 4 or 5 days at room temperature wrapped loosely in plastic wrap and a layer of foil. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from From the Wood Fired Oven by Richard Miscovich

Keywords: Danish, rye, sourdough, rugbrød

Roasted Broccoli Smørrebrød with Whipped Ricotta

April 10, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Are you familiar with the term “fancy toast”? Essentially, fancy toast is artisan bread that is toasted and then topped with a variety of tasty ingredients. Sounds a bit like smørrebrød doesn’t it? I thought so too! If it’s alright with you, I think we should extend our definition of smørrebrød to include open sandwiches that might otherwise fall into the fancy toast category. This is not much of a stretch, really. There are MANY different types of smørrebrød, and not all of them are served on the traditional rugbrød. I feel no need to limit ourselves to one type of bread as the base for our open sandwiches. And who doesn’t love toast!?

Which brings me to this DELICIOUS Roasted Broccoli Smørrebrød with Whipped Ricotta. This open sandwich is really something special….tender, caramelized roasted broccoli tossed with sun-dried tomatoes and briny olives, and it all sits on a bed of creamy, dreamy whipped ricotta.

Whipped Ricotta Cheese

We’ve all had ricotta cheese in a lasagna or other stuffed pasta, but have you ever had whipped ricotta? Somehow, whirling whole milk ricotta around in the food processor with a little olive oil takes this otherwise slightly grainy cheese to a new level of silky, billowy softness. I’m talking creme fraiche-like in texture.

While you could use part-skim rather than whole milk ricotta cheese here, it won’t have the same rich flavor or creamy texture. My advice? Stick with the real thing.

Whipped ricotta makes a fabulous creamy base for a vegetarian smørrebrød. And trust me, this roasted broccoli and whipped ricotta combination is only the beginning. I’m thinking garden tomatoes in the summer, roasted cubes of butternut squash in the fall…imagine the delicious possibilities!

Roasted Broccoli

If you’ve never roasted broccoli before, you are in for a treat. In only 20 minutes, the high heat of the oven produces crisp tender broccoli that is caramelized and incredibly flavorful. Toss in some tangy, briny flavor in the form of sun-dried tomatoes and olives and you’ve got an easy and delicious topping for your smørrebrød.

I really hope you give this Roasted Broccoli Smørrebrød with Whipped Ricotta a try! It is one of my new favorites and I think it will be one of yours, too.

Roasted Broccoli Smørrebrød with Whipped Ricotta

A delicious open sandwich featuring creamy whipped ricotta cheese, tender roasted broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and briny olives.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 sandwiches
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Danish
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

For the Smørrebrød:

4 large slices rustic bread, such as sourdough, cut in half

1 garlic clove, peeeled

Whipped ricotta, recipe follows

Roasted Broccoli with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, recipe follows

For the Roasted Broccoli with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes:

12 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons chopped good-quality olives, pitted (kalamata or a mix)

3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

For the Whipped Ricotta:

1 ½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Coarse salt to taste

Instructions

Roast the broccoli: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss broccoli on a rimmed baking sheet with the olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes. Roast until tender and browned in spots, about 18-20 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Toss warm broccoli with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and oregano. Season with additional salt to taste.
Meanwhile, whip the ricotta: Transfer ricotta cheese, olive oil and lemon juice to a food processor and whip until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Season to taste with coarse salt.
Make the smørrebrød: Toast the bread and rub each piece with the peeled garlic clove. Generously spread with whipped ricotta and top with roasted broccoli mixture. Serve.

Keywords: roasted, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, ricotta, whipped ricotta, fancy toast, smørrebrød

Roasted Beet Hummus Smørrebrød with Avocado and Pickled Onions

March 28, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Well isn’t this open sandwich just a stunner! I love all my smørrebrød equally, I really do. But this Beet Hummus Smørrebrød is a real looker, as they say. Vibrantly pink roasted beet hummus topped with creamy, green avocado and (more pink!) pickled onions…this sandwich is easy on the eyes.

Oh, and it’s delicious and nutritious, too. If you’ve never had roasted beet hummus before, you are in for a treat. A little bit earthly and sweet (thanks to the beets) and a pleasantly garlicky (thanks to a bit of garlic roasted with the beets), this hummus is always a favorite, and not just because of its stunning color. Top that with slices of creamy avocado and piquant pickled onions and you’ve got an easy and wholesome vegan lunch with serious Scandi appeal.

Roast Beef Smørrebrød with Danish Remoulade and Crispy Shallots

If you aren’t particularly attached to the fact that this sandwich is vegan, you could always top it with a fried or poached egg. Extra deliciousness, I promise.

You could also switch out the rugbrød for a more readily available bread, such as toasted sourdough or toasted multi-grain or whole-wheat (definitely TOASTED for added sturdiness). But extra Scandi points to you if you use a dense Danish rye bread. Rugbrød can be hard, if not impossible, to find in a bakery. Lucky for you I’ve got a super easy and doable recipe for rugbrød right here on the site. You’re welcome.

Think of this as your sexy New Nordic alternative to just plain old avocado toast. Please give it a try! You’ll be the coolest kid at the lunch table. And don’t forget to leave me a comment below if you do! I’d love to hear what you think. In love with the Nordic open sandwich and need more smørrebrød ideas? Absolutely! I’ve got you:

Roasted Beet Hummus Smørrebrød with Avocado and Pickled Onions

A vibrantly stunning (and vegan) Nordic open sandwich with roasted beet hummus, creamy avocado and piquant pickled onions.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 30 minutes (not including hummus)
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Danish
Diet: Vegan

Scale

Ingredients

For the Smørrebrød:

4 slices dense rye bread, such as Easy Overnight Danish Rye (Rugbød)

1 cup Roasted Beet Hummus

1-2 avocados, sliced

Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Quick Pickled Onions, recipe follows

Sprouts or microgreens for serving, optional

For the Quick Pickled Onions:

1 red onion, sliced thin

¼ cup water

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup white vinegar

½ teaspoon fine salt

¼ teaspoon chile pepper flakes

3 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

Make the Quick Pickled Onions. Place the sliced red onion in a medium bowl or quart-size Mason jar. Heat remaining ingredients over medium until mixture just comes to a boil. Pour over onions. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (Quick Pickled Onions keep in the fridge for up to a week).
Assemble the Smørrebrød. Transfer sliced bread to a clean work surface. Spread the surface of each slice of bread with a generous layer of Roasted Beet Hummus. Top with sliced avocado and a drizzle of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with Quick Pickled Onions and sprouts or microgreens, if desired. Serve.

Keywords: smørrebrød, smørgås, open sandwich, vegan, vegetarian, beet, hummus, easy, lunch, avocado, Danish, Nordic, Scandinavian

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

Roast Beef Smørrebrød with Danish Remoulade and Crispy Shallots

February 8, 2020 by Kristi Leave a Comment

When I teach smørrebrød workshops or host the occasional catering event featuring a selection of open Nordic sandwiches, this classic Roast Beef Smørrebrød with Danish Remoulade and Crispy Shallots is almost always the favorite. There’s just something about the combination of dense rye, savory roast beef and exotic Danish remoulade that is downright magical. Add that shower of Crispy Fried Shallots on top and you’ve got yourself an easy to assemble, show-stopper of a sandwich.

Let’s take a moment to discuss the anatomy of a properly assembled Nordic open sandwich, shall we? I walk through this in my post, The Basics of Smørrebrød, but it’s worth a little refresher I think before you go forth and create your own sandwiches.

Start with Dense Rye Bread

This Danish rye bread is called rugbrød and it is what generally forms the base of smørrebrød. Every now and then you’ll see a Nordic open sandwich that calls for a toasted white sourdough or country loaf, but dense, dark rugbrød is the norm. Rugbrød is often made with a sourdough starter, but I have an easy and delicious overnight recipe for rugbrød that uses instant yeast and only easy-to-find ingredients. It’s one of the most popular recipes here on the site and surprisingly authentic for how simple it is.

A Generous Slather of Good Butter

Most smørrebrød begins with a layer of good-quality, salted butter. I use a European-style butter for mine (which contains a higher content of butterfat than its American counterpart). For extra credit you might want to seek out a Scandinavian butter, such as Lurpak or Finlandia. Both are excellent. Not only does butter impart richness and flavor, it also acts as a barrier between the bread and the ingredients on top and gives the lettuce something to adhere to.

A Layer of Greens

The greens not only bring a crisp freshness to your sandwich, they also provide color and visual appeal, an important part of smørrebrød.

Artfully Arranged Toppings

Finally, our toppings become the star of the show, bringing everything together. Since the open sandwich has no top, take a little time to arrange your toppings in a visually appealing fashion. No one needs you to be Picasso here, but a little attention to the visual appeal of your smørrebrød makes for a beautiful presentation. And it’s a fun opportunity to bring some creativity to your food which is always welcome!

Alright. I think we’ve covered the basics. Now go grab that recipe for Easy Overnight Rugbrød and make this tasty Roast Beef Smørrebrød with Danish Remoulade and Crispy Shallots! It’s a hands-down favorite in my experience. And let me know if you give it a try in the comments below! I always love hearing from you. Looking for more smørrebrød ideas? I’ve got you covered:

Roast Beef Smørrebrød with Danish Remoulade and Crispy Shallots

A classic Danish Smørrebrød (Nordic open sandwich) featuring hearty rye bread, roast beef, curry remoulade sauce and crispy shallots.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 open sandwiches 1x
Category: smørrebrød, lunch. Danish
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Danish

Scale

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 or other small lettuces

8-10 slices roast beef (thinly sliced)

Danish Remoulade, recipe follows

Crispy Fried Shallots, or store bought cripsy onions, such as the Lars brand

For the Danish Remoulade:

½ cup prepared mayonnaise

2 tablespoons skyr or greek yogurt

1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons dill pickles, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

¾ teaspoon curry powder

Instructions

Prepare the Danish Remoulade: Combine ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir until incorporated.
Assemble the Smørrebrød: Transfer bread slices to a clean work surface. Butter the bread. Top each slice with a handful of lettuce and a couple of slices of roast beef. Spoon a generous dollop of the Danish Remoulade on top. Sprinkle with Crispy Fried Shallots. Serve.

Keywords: roast beef, Danish, remoulade, open sandwich, smørrebrød

Blue Cheese and Pear Compote Smørrebrød

November 27, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

This Blue Cheese and Pear Compote Smørrebrød is aways a favorite and makes a fabulous and unexpected winter appetizer. Thin slices of rye bread topped with blue cheese, spiced pear compote and toasted hazelnuts….so simple and yet pleasantly complex in flavor. All you need is a steaming cup of glögg to go with these tasty little Nordic open sandwiches and you are in business.

Smørrebrød is usually served on a dense Danish rye bread known as rubgrød, and that is an excellent choice to use for the base of these sandwiches. But a toasted Swedish limpa or even homemade rye crispbread would also be delightful. No time to bake? No problem! Store bought rye crispbread or even a nice cracker would be delicious as well.

If you want to go all-in on the Scandi vibes, consider choosing a Danish blue cheese here. Personally, I really like the triple cream brie-style blue cheese, Cambozola, which is not Danish (it’s from Germany….close by anyway). Rich and buttery, Cambozola is a perfect match with the spicy pears and toasty hazelnuts. If you find blue cheese to be a bit too pungent, feel free to substitute cream cheese for a more subtle but no less delicious combination.

The Roasted Pear Compote with Cardamom, Vanilla and Fresh Ginger is really the star of this deceptively simple smørrebrød. This one simple ingredient (which can be made up to a week ahead of time) brings a subtle sweetness and just a hint of cardamom, vanilla and ginger. It really adds complexity and makes this Nordic open sandwich something special.

Give these easy Blue Cheese and Pear Compote Smørrebrød a try at your next gathering! Your guests will be surprised and delighted by these tasty little Nordic open sandwiches.

Blue Cheese and Pear Compote Smørrebrød

A tasty little Nordic open sandwich topped with blue cheese and spiced roasted pear compote. An easy and delicious winter appetizer!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 32 small sandwiches 1x
Category: appetizers
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Danish

Scale

Ingredients

8 thin slices dense rye bread such as rugbrød (crispbread or toasted Swedish limpa also work well)

Blue cheese (Cambozola or a Danish blue cheese are both nice)

Roasted Pear Compote with Cardamom, Vanilla and Fresh Ginger

½ cup hazelnuts

Instructions

Toast the hazelnuts. Place nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Transfer nuts to a clean kitchen towel and wrap them inside allowing them to steam for a minute or so. Rub the nuts between the kitchen towel to remove the skins (don’t worry if all the skins come off). Chop nuts coarsely.
Assemble the smørrebrød: Transfer slices of bread to a clean work surface. Cut each slice into 4 triangles. Top with blue cheese, a dollop of the Roasted Pear Compote and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts. Serve.

Keywords: pear, blue cheese, smørrebrød, Nordic, sandwich, appetizer, winter

Swedish Meatball Smørrebrød with Creamy Pickled Beet Salad

November 5, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

So you have some leftover Swedish Meatballs languishing in the fridge? Not a problem. In fact, consider yourself lucky. You have the makings of an easy and delicious Swedish meatball open sandwich. While this sandwich looks unusual and you are probably thinking I just made this up, I assure you, it is one of the classics. I like to think of it as a Scandinavian version of the American meatloaf sandwich, but a lot more beautiful and interesting.

This smørrebrød (or smörgås in Swedish) starts with buttered dense rye bread, as so many of them do. From there you add a handful or two of baby lettuces or arugula and a generous spoonful of a simple creamy beet salad. A few cold sliced meatballs finish it off with perhaps a dill sprig or a little chopped parsley or chives for garnish. Lunch is served.

The Nordic open sandwich has, from its inception, been intended as a creative vehicle for leftovers. This gorgeous and tasty Swedish Meatball Smørrebrød is the perfect example of Scandinavian leftovers done right.

Swedish Meatball Smørrebrød with Creamy Pickled Beet Salad

A classic Nordic open sandwich featuring a creamy pickled beet salad and leftover Swedish meatballs. Beautiful and delicious!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 open sandwiches 1x
Category: Smørrebrød
Cuisine: Swedish, Scandinavian, Nordic

Scale

Ingredients

For the Sandwiches:

2 thin slices dense rye bread

Butter for spreading

A handful of baby arugula leaves or other baby lettuces

Creamy Pickled Beet Salad (recipe follows)

4-8 leftover Easy Swedish Meatballs, sliced

Dill sprigs, chopped parsley or chives for serving

For the Creamy Pickled Beet Salad:

½ cup pickled beets, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 tablespoon prepared mayonnaise

1 tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream

Instructions

Make the Creamy Pickled Beet Salad: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Assemble the Sandwiches: Transfer bread slices to a clean work surface. Butter the bread. Top with a handful of arugula, a generous spoonful of Creamy Pickled Beet Salad. Artfully arrange meatball slices on top. Garnish with herbs and serve.

Keywords: Swedish, meatballs, smørrebrød, sandwich, pickled beets

Easy Garden Tomato Smørrebrød

August 19, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

It is both a wonderful and anxiety-producing time of the year. The tomato vines are bursting with fruit and everything is ready at once. Tomatoes begin to pile up on the kitchen counter. Something must be done and quickly. These perfectly ripe, luscious garden tomatoes are something we wait for all year long. Not a morsel should go to waste.

The solution to this glorious dilemma in my own kitchen is multi-fold. Some of these tomatoes will find their way into a tomato sauce, soup or pasta, maybe sliced thin atop a pizza crust slathered with basil pesto. But some must be eaten in sandwich form. Because there is possibly no better way to celebrate the harvest season than with a garden-fresh tomato sandwich. BLTs are a given and probably make a weekly appearance on our table during July, August and early September. But this is a Nordic food blog. What are the options for turning these rare summer beauties into an irresistible open sandwich situation?

Thankfully we have many delicious options to choose from, each one easy and doable for a quick August lunch or dinner. I’ve put together three simple favorites here for your late summer consumption. A tomato sandwich should never be complicated, but simple does not have to mean boring. Each of these sandwiches has a little something special to help elevate it to extraordinary status:

Avocado, Tomato and Cucumber Skyr Sauce (pictured at the top): Buttered Danish rye topped with sliced avocado, tomatoes and a deliciously simple cucumber sauce made with Icelandic yogurt (skyr) and fresh dill. Greek yogurt can always stand in for the skyr if you can’t find it.
Basil Mayonnaise and Tomato (pictured to the left): The easiest of the three….Danish rye spread with an herby mayo (equal parts chopped fresh basil and prepared mayonnaise) and topped with sliced tomatoes. Simple summer perfection.
Egg, Tomato and Basil Pesto (pictured at the bottom): Buttered Danish rye topped with a little baby arugula, a sliced hard-boiled egg, chopped tomatoes and a generous dollop of basil pesto (prepared or homemade). By the way, I just bought this egg slicer and I can’t believe I lived without it. A serious game changer for gorgeous egg slices on your smørrebrød.

I hope these sandwich ideas help make a delicious dent in your tomato supply. September is just around the corner and it is our right, our obligation even, to see that we are sick of tomatoes by the time fall rolls around.

Easy Garden Tomato Smørrebrød

Three easy ideas for delicious Nordic open sandwiches starring the garden fresh tomato!

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 open sandwiches 1x
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Danish

Scale

Ingredients

For the Tomato, Avocado and Cucumber Skyr Sauce:

½ medium cucumber

½ cup plain Icelandic skyr or greek yogurt, preferably whole milk

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 thin slices of dense rye bread

Salted butter for spreading

1 avocado, sliced thin

Sliced ripe garden tomatoes

Chopped fresh chives or dill for sprinkling (optional)

For the Basil Mayo and Tomato:

½ cup prepared mayonnaise

½ chopped fresh basil

4 thin slices of dense rye bread

Sliced ripe garden tomatoes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For The Egg, Tomato and Pesto:

4 thin slices of dense rye bread

Salted butter for spreading

A handful or two of baby arugula or other baby lettuces

4 hard boiled eggs, sliced

Ripe garden tomatoes, chopped medium

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup homemade or prepared basil pesto

Instructions

For the Tomato, Avocado and Cucumber Skyr Sauce: Shred cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a medium bowl. Combine with skyr, olive oil, dill, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to use (can be made up to 1 day in advance). Arrange slices of bread on a clean work surface. Spread butter on bread. Artfully arrange avocado and tomato slices on top. Top with a generous spoonful of Cucumber Skyr Sauce. Sprinkle with fresh chives or dill and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.
For the Basil Mayo and Tomato: Combine mayo and basil together in a small bowl. Arrange slices of bread on a clean work surface. Spread basil mayo on bread. Top with sliced tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.
For the Egg, Tomato and Pesto: Arrange slices of bread on a clean work surface. Spread butter on bread. Top with a handful of arugula leaves. Attractively fan out a sliced hard boiled egg on top of the arugula. Top with chopped tomatoes and a generous dollop of pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

Notes

Adapted from Trine Heinemann’s Open Sandwiches

Keywords: Nordic, open sandwich, smørrebrød, smorgås, Danish, tomato, summer, basil, easy, simple, lunch