Smørrebrød with Curried Herring, Cauliflower Cream and Toasted Almonds
Curried herring with cauliflower cream and toasted almonds © kvalifood.com
Curried herring is closely associated with Easter and appears on nearly every Easter lunch table in Denmark. The herring sits in a mild, yellow curry marinade — a product of the 19th century Danish fascination with Indian spices via colonial trade. Here it is paired with a cauliflower cream that provides a soft, nutty base, and toasted almonds that add crunch and body. The flavour is mild and rounded with a slight hint of the exotic, balanced by the tart apple in julienne. It is one of the milder herring preparations, making it a good starting point for those who are not normally big fans of herring.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Cauliflower cream
- 200 g cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 dl cream
- salt
- white pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
Toasted almonds
- 50 g almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp butter
- flaky salt
Assembly
- 4 slices dark rye bread
- butter, for the bread
- 8–12 curried herrings
- 1 green apple, cut into thin strips (julienne)
- fresh chervil
- curry powder, for dusting
Directions
Cauliflower cream
Cook the cauliflower in salted water for about 8 minutes until very soft. Drain well. Blend with butter and cream to a smooth cream. Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Allow to cool.
Toasted almonds
Toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add butter and flaky salt. Stir and remove from heat.
Assembly
Spread the bread with butter. Spread a layer of cauliflower cream over the bread. Lay the curried herrings on top. Distribute apple strips and toasted almonds. Garnish with chervil and a light dusting of curry powder.