More Smorrebrod

Photo: flickr user craigemorsels

Ingredients

1 Text Only

Preparation

SHRIMP SANDWICH: (Rejemad)

The small Danish shrimps are extremely popular delicacies and most Danish housewives are virtual masters at peeling them, but it is slow work for the beginner. At restaurants shrimps are always served peeled unless the customer specifically asks for unpeeled ones.

Put a fresh leaf of lettuce on the buttered bread and top abundantly with cold boiled shrimps.

SMOKED SALMON AND SCRAMBLED EGG: (Roget Laks og Roraeg)

Put a piece of fresh smoked salmon on buttered bread, and on top of that, diagonally across the bread, a strip of cold scrambled egg.

Decorate with finely chopped green dill.

LOBSTER SALAD: (Hummersalat)

Mix small pieces of cold but freshly cooked lobster and asparagus in mayonnaise seasoned with tarragon vinegar. Put a lettuce leaf on each piece of buttered bread and spread with the mixture. Garnish with an extra piece of lobster and one or two asparagus tips. Serve immediately.

SMOKED EEL AND SCRAMBLED EGG: (Roget aal og Roraeg)

Cut smoked eel in 2-inch pieces. Remove skin and back bone. Put enough pieces of eel on a piece of buttered bread to cover it completely. Top with slices of cold scrambled egg and sprinkle with chives.

FRIED ROE: (Ristet Torskerogn)

Put boiled cod roe under pressure until cold and cut in 1/2 inch slices with a sharp knife. Fry the slices in plenty of butter, place on buttered bread with a lemon slice on top. Cut the lemon slice half way and twist so it will stand upright.

FRIED FISH FILLETS: (Stegt Fiskefilet)

As the fried fish fillet (of plaice or sole) should be served warm, do not place it on the bread as this would melt the butter. Serve buttered bread on a separate plate. Serve with Tartar sauce.

HERRING SALAD: (Sildesalat)

Cooked meat Cold potatoes Red beets 1 sliced onion Salted and smoked or pickled herring Sour mustard Flour Butter

Place the the meat, potatoes, red beets, onion and well soaked herring on a chopping board together with the mustard and dice until the whole thing has become a mushy mass. If it is too dry and won't stick together add a little vinegar from the red beets, and flavor with sugar.

This procedure makes the "fine herring salad" usually made by the Danish housewife for everyday use. But you can make the salad coarse too by cutting (instead of dicing) the different ingredients in a long narrow strips and blending them with a thick sauce, made of 2 tablespoons butter and 4 cups flour cooked together and diluted with water or stock. Flavor the sauce with vinegar from the red beets, sugar and mustard to taste, and, if necessary, add a few drops of coloring until you get a beautiful red shade.

Spread the bread with the herring salad and decorate with slices of hard boiled egg, if you don't prefer topping it with a fried egg.