True North Kitchen

Smørrebrød

Herbed Yogurt Sauce

by Leave a Comment

herbed yogurt sauce
garlicky, creamy and herby yogurt sauce

This versatile sauce is an excellent one to have in your kitchen repertoire. Easy and packed with garlic and herb flavor, it goes nicely with all manner of vegetables, as a sauce for your lunchtime smørrebrød, or stirred into cooked lentils or chickpeas. You can play around with the types of tender herbs you use here. I chose dill and chives for spring, but come summer I might use basil, Italian parsley or cilantro. Or a combination of all three!

Print

Herbed Yogurt Sauce

herbed yogurt sauce

A creamy, garlicky, herby sauce that goes nicely with just about everything.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup
  • Category: sauce
  • Cuisine: scandinavian, nordic

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, minced with a little salt and mashed to a paste using the side of your knife

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup chopped dill

¼ cup chopped chives

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Season with salt to taste. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use, preferably at least an hour or so to allow the flavors to marry.  The sauce can be stored for up to three days refrigerated.

Notes

Adapted from In my Kitchen by Deborah Madison.

 

Keywords: yogurt, sauce, dill, chives

Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with Garlicky White Bean Purée

by Leave a Comment

balsamic glazed mushroom smørrebrød on sourdough with garlicky white bean puree and arugula
Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with Garlicky White Bean Purée

This is the time of year when I simultaneously crave something a little healthier AND something hearty and satisfying to carry me through these (hopefully) final days of winter. Let’s face it….a crisp salad just isn’t going to cut it.  This Nordic open sandwich, however, 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.  We are breaking a couple of the “rules 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 toasted sourdough.  It makes a perfect wintertime lunch.  If you are taking this on the go, I would suggest swapping out the toast from some rye crispbread and keeping the components separate until you are ready to assemble them and eat.

Print

Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Smørrebrød with Garlicky White Bean Purée

balsamic glazed mushroom smørrebrød on sourdough with garlicky white bean puree and arugula

A tasty open face sandwich with glazed mushrooms and white been purée and sourdough bread.  It also happens to be vegan!

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

Ingredients

2 large slices of sourdough bread

1 garlic clove, peeled

Garlicky White Bean Purée (recipe follows)

Handful of baby arugula

Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms (recipe follows)

Instructions

  1. Toast bread and slice on the diagonal in deep triangle shapes.  Rub garlic clove over the surface of one side of the toast.
  2. Spread a generous layer of Garlicky White Bean Purée over each slice of toast (there will be some purée left over).
  3. Scatter arugula on top of the purée.
  4. Place Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms on top of arugula, dividing the mushrooms evenly between the 4 sandwiches.  Serve.

Garlicky 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

  1.  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.
  2. 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.

Balsamic-Glazed Mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

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

Course salt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  1.  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.  
  2. 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.

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

Roasted Butternut Squash Smørrebrød with Spicy Harissa Mayo and Pepitas

by Leave a Comment

Remember that very traditional new potato smørrebrød I shared with you recently?  This is a somewhat unconventional take on that concept.  The same dense rye bread, butter and greens for a base, but this time topped with buttery roasted squash half-moons, spicy harissa mayonnaise, cilantro and pepitas.  A complete break from tradition, but delicious in its own right.

Print

Roasted Butternut Squash Smørrebrød with Spicy Harissa Mayo and Pepitas

A tasty but unconventional open face sandwich with roasted butternut squash and a spicy mayo.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 small sandwiches
  • Category: smørrebrød
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Swedish

Ingredients

4 thin slices dense rye bread, a little over 1/4 inch thick

Butter, preferably salted

A handful or two of baby arugula leaves

Roasted Butternut Squash Half-Moons, recipe below

Spicy Harissa Mayonnaise, recipe below

a handful of cilantro leaves (removed from their stems but left whole)

1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted in a dry skillet

Instructions

Butter each slice of bread.  Place a layer of baby arugula leaves on top.  Arrange squash slices artfully over the arugula.  Spoon Spicy Harissa Mayo over the squash.  Scatter cilantro leaves and roasted pepitas on top.  Serve.

Roasted Butternut Squash Half-Moons

Adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbookfrom America’s Test Kitchen

Depending on the size of your squash, makes enough for approximately 4 sandwiches.  Plan on about 6 slices of squash per sandwich.

1 Medium-sized butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cut the neck portion of the squash from the rounded bottom (ideally just above where the seeds start).  Peel the neck portion of the squash using a y-shaped vegetable peeler.  You can surely peel and use the bottom of the squash as well, cutting it in half and removing the seeds from the cavity with a spoon before proceeding with the recipe.  I save the unpeeled bottom of the squash for my backyard chickens.  They think it is about the best treat ever.
  3. Carefully cut the peeled squash in half lengthwise, and then into 1/4 inch thick half-moon shapes.
  4. Melt butter in a large bowl.  Place squash slices in the bowl with the butter and toss until coated.
  5. Lay squash slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the squash slices are soft and slightly caramelized on the bottom.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Squash can be prepared up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.  The squash is best if it is not cold from the fridge.  Take it out 30 minutes or so before assembling sandwiches to warm slightly before using.

Spicy Harissa Mayonnaise

Makes approximately 1/4 cup

1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared harissa (I use the one from Trader Joe’s)

Combine mayonnaise and harissa in a small bowl.  Add more harissa to taste.  Can be prepared up to two days in advance.

Keywords: smørrebrød, smörgås, open sandwich, rye, rugbrød, butternut squash, harissa, Scandinavian, Nordic

New Potato Smørrebrød with Garlic Aïoli and Crispy Shallots

by Leave a Comment

new potato smørrebrød
Classic new potato smørrebrød.

A confession….I am not from Sweden, Denmark or Norway.  I am an American with Scandinavian roots.  My grandmother on my Dad’s side was Swedish, my grandmother on my Mom’s side was Norwegian and Danish, and my grandfather was Norwegian.  Growing up here in the United States in the 1970’s and 80’s, my family ate a very typical American diet.  The only time that we really prepared foods that reflected our Scandinavian heritage was during the holidays.  Beginning with lefse (Norwegian potato flatbread) at Thanksgiving and continuing on through Christmas with rommegröt (Norwegian sour cream pudding), pickled herring, stirred lingonberries, Swedish meatballs and pancakes (just to name a few), we managed to pack a lot of Nordic recipes into a short 6 week time frame.  But the rest of the year…not so much.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve wondered about this holiday-centric approach to celebrating one’s ancestry in the kitchen, which I’m sure is not unique to my family.  I began to be curious about what Scandinavians ate on an every day basis, not just at Christmas.  I’ve done a lot of reading, cooking and baking on the subject and I’m hoping to share a bit of what I’ve learned here on the blog.  Know that what I share here in terms of recipes is simply my take on what I’ve read and learned about Nordic cuisine over the last few years and through my experience of growing up in a family with Scandinavian heritage.  I don’t claim to be an expert (I’ve never even travelled to Scandinavia!), but I will share with you the unique ways in which I am inspired by Nordic cuisine in my own kitchen.  And I’m sure I’ll share a family recipe or two along the way!

In my last post, we covered the basics of smørrebrød.  Let’s get down to business with this classic example of the Nordic open face sandwich.  My research suggests that Scandinavians are fond of putting cold potatoes on their sandwiches.  This might sound odd but it is actually quite delicious and a fabulous use for leftover boiled potatoes from last night’s dinner.  Thinly sliced potatoes with a garlicky mayo sauce and crispy shallots that taste like little baby onion rings.  What’s not to love?

Print

New Potato Smørrebrød with Garlic Aïoli and Crispy Shallots

new potato smørrebrød

A traditional Nordic open face sandwich with thinly sliced new potatoes, garlic aïoli and crispy shallots on buttered rye bread.

  • 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

4 thin slices dense rye bread, a little over 1/4 inch thick

Butter, preferably salted

A handful or two of baby arugula leaves

4-5 new potatoes

Quick Aïoli, recipe below

Crispy shallots, recipe below

1 Tablespoon chopped chives or dill, and/or microgreens

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1.  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 three days in advance.  Store in the refrigerator.
  2. 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.  Drizzle aïoli over potatoes (I like to place the sauce in the center between the two rows of potato slices) and scatter crispy shallots and herbs and/or microgreens on top.  Serve.

Quick Aïoli

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Makes 1/4 cup

1 small garlic clove

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

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.  Aïoli can be made up three days in advance.  Store in the refrigerator.

Crispy Fried Shallots

Adapted from The Scandi Kitchen by Brontë Aurell 

Makes approximately 1 cup of shallots

3 medium-size shallots, sliced into thin rings, rings separated from one another

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup canola, peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Course sea salt for sprinkling

  1.  Combine flour, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large ziploc bag.  Add shallots, seal and toss around until shallots are coated with flour mixture.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan until it reaches 280 degrees.  It’s worth using a thermometer here if you have one.  If the oil is too hot, the shallots will burn and if it is too cool they will be soggy.
  3. Remove half of the shallots from the bag, shaking off any excess flour.  Place in pan and fry until golden brown and crispy.  This may take as little as two minutes or as long as five.  Keep your eye on them and look for the visual cues.  Remove from oil using a slotted spoon.  Place on paper towels and allow to drain.  Sprinkle with sea salt and allow them to cool slightly and crisp up.  Repeat with the other half of the shallots.

Shallots can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.  Mine usually stay pretty crisp, but you could warm them in a 200 degree oven to crisp them up if necessary.

Notes

Adapted from The Scandi Kitchen by Brontë Aurell and Open Sandwiches by Trine Hahnemann

 

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

The Basics of Smørrebrød

by Leave a Comment

“The fastest way to understand the Nordic region’s food culture is to eat an open sandwich topped with butter and hard cheese.”

-Magnus Nilsson, The Nordic Cookbook

The Nordic region’s food culture is largely based on bread.  According to The Nordic Cookbook, before potatoes arrived on the Scandinavian mainland in the early 1800’s, most people ate one to two pounds of bread a day!  It’s no wonder that the open sandwich (smørrebrød in Danish, smørbrød in Norwegian and smörgås in Swedish) became a staple of Nordic cuisine.  The origins of the Nordic open sandwich can be traced back at least as far as the Middle Ages.  At that time it would have been a rather simple affair….probably some kind of fat (butter or animal fat) spread on a dense rye bread with leftover meat or vegetables piled on top.  As fresh ingredients became more available, the open sandwich evolved into something more refined and elegant, particularly in Denmark where smørrebrød is now practically an art form.  There are entire restaurants devoted to the open sandwich in Denmark, and it is even possible to attain the a professional qualification known as, “Open Sandwich Master”.  But not all open sandwiches are fussy restaurant affairs.  Generally speaking, Nordic cuisine has an elegant simplicity to it, and a sandwich made at home might be as basic as a buttered slice of rye bread and a few slices of cheese or last night’s leftovers arranged on top.

Trine Hahnemann outlines a few rules for constructing smørrebrød in her book, Open Sandwiches.  I have included some of them here along with a few of my own to help you put together an open sandwich you can be proud of:

  1.  Barring a few exceptions, Nordic open sandwiches are served on dense rye bread which has been sliced quite thin.  I like my slices just a little over 1/4 inch thick.
  2. If you are using a dense rye, the bread is simply sliced, not toasted.  Sometimes I will do a light toast on mine just to freshen up the bread slightly without causing the exterior to get crispy.
  3. The bread is usually buttered quite liberally with salted butter.  If you don’t usually stock salted butter, you can use unsalted butter and sprinkle a little kosher salt on it after you spread it on the bread.
  4. There is typically one main topping and a combinations of condiments.  A well-designed smørrebrød has a variety of flavors and textures that come together to create a sandwich that is more delicious than the individual components might suggest.
  5. Smørrebrød doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be pleasing to the eye.  That’s part of the fun of the open face sandwich…with no top to disguise what’s inside there is much opportunity for creating something that is as beautiful as it is delicious.
  6. Season as you layer.  If your main ingredient is sliced cold potatoes or hard-boiled egg slices, you are going to want to season that particular layer with salt and pepper before adding the remaining condiments.
  7. Think about your layering, both in terms of visual presentation and what makes sense in terms of the temperature and shape of the main ingredient.  If your topping is warm roast pork, for example, you aren’t going to want to put tender arugula leaves underneath it.  That’s a recipe for soggy greens.  Layer in a way that lets each ingredient shine.
  8. If you really want to get serious about aesthetics, consider placing any sauces that you are using into a squeeze bottle, plastic piping bag or ziploc bag (with a corner of the bag cut off).  This allows you to squeeze the sauce onto the sandwich exactly where you want it. It can be difficult to artfully arrange sauces with just a spoon.
  9. Unless it really doesn’t seem appropriate, always add a shower of something small and green on the very top for garnish.  Chopped fresh herbs, microgreens, sprouts, or watercress are all good choices.
  10.  If you’ve created a lovely smørrebrød piled high with delicious ingredients, don’t try and pick the whole thing up and take a bite.  These sandwiches are usually a knife and fork affair.

Picasso once said, “learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.”  Make a classic smørrebrød or two (recipes to follow), but also get into the kitchen and play!  Let your bread be your canvas and get creative.  Anything goes when it comes to designing your own open face sandwiches.