Danish smørrebrød are beautiful, open-faced sandwiches that make a stunning yet simple brunch or meal. Smørrebrød is traditionally made with a variety of seafood or thinly sliced meats, creamy cheese spreads, fresh herbs and bright vegetables. Eggs are commonly added and can be poached, boiled or fried to your liking. For vegetarian smørrebrød, replace fish with tomatoes, boiled potatoes, fresh herbs or pickles.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1” pieces
1 T butter
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz crème fraîche (or sour cream or fromage blanc)
2 T chives, chopped
2 T lemon juice
1 T white vinegar (optional)
4 lg eggs
1 loaf seeded multi-grain or rye bread, sliced *
1/4 lb smoked salmon (or smoked trout or lox), sliced thinly
4 radishes, washed and sliced thinly
2 T fresh dill fronds
4 lemon wedges
Steps
Sauté asparagus pieces in butter over medium heat with a pinch of salt and pepper until tender, approx. 3 min; set aside.
Combine crème fraîche with chives, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper; reserve.
To Poach Eggs
Bring 1 qt of water and vinegar to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Break an egg into a small bowl and in a single quick, smooth motion, slip the egg out of bowl and into the hot water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Poach 3 1/2 min for soft-cooked yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon, transferring directly onto smørrebrød.
To Assemble
Lightly toast 4 thin slices of bread. Top toast with 2 oz of crème fraîche mixture. Add 1 oz of salmon. Divide asparagus over bread. Add the poached egg. Top with sliced radishes, fresh dill fronds and garnish with lemon wedge. Serve immediately, with a pinch of salt and pepper.
* To make this recipe gluten-free friendly, use gluten-free bread.
