Smørrebrød with Ham, Italian Salad and Herb Vinaigrette
Ham with Italian Salad and Herb Vinaigrette © kvalifood.com
Ham with Italian salad is a smørrebrød that turns up on most Danish lunch tables and in canteen menus across the country. Cooked ham has a mild, slightly sweet flavour and a firm, juicy texture that works as a neutral base for the creamy Italian salad. Italian salad — a mayonnaise-based mix of peas, carrots and white asparagus — is a Danish invention that, despite the name, has nothing to do with Italian cooking. The herb vinaigrette with tarragon and chervil adds a fresh, aromatic dimension that lifts the dish from the ordinary. It is a solid, straightforward smørrebrød that never disappoints, but never tries to surprise either.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Italian salad
- 100 g peas
- 1 carrot, diced, cooked
- 4 white asparagus, cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- salt
- white pepper
Herb vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chervil
- salt
- pepper
Assembly
- 4 slices dark rye bread
- Butter, for the bread
- 8 slices cooked ham
- Chervil
- Watercress
Directions
Italian salad
Mix the vegetables with the mayo, crème fraîche and mustard. Season to taste. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Herb vinaigrette
Whisk the ingredients together.
Assembly
Butter the rye bread. Fold the ham slices and place on the bread. Spread the Italian salad on top. Drizzle with herb vinaigrette. Garnish with chervil and watercress.