Smørrebrød with Pickled Cucumber Salad
Pickled cucumber salad with dill and crème fraîche © kvalifood.com
Pickled cucumber salad is one of the most common Danish side dishes, but here it gets to stand alone as the main element on the smørrebrød. The cucumbers are sliced paper-thin on a mandoline and marinated in a classic Danish dressing of vinegar, sugar and salt, which gives them a sweet-sour flavour and a semi-transparent, silky texture. The dill crème fraîche adds richness and freshness underneath the cucumbers. This is a light, summery smørrebrød that works well as a counterpoint to heavier dishes on the lunch table, and it requires almost no preparation beyond the marinade.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Pickled cucumber salad
- 1 cucumber, sliced paper-thin (mandoline)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
- White pepper
Dill crème fraîche
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp finely chopped dill
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt
Assembly
- 4 slices dark rye bread
- Butter, for the bread
- Fresh dill
- Flaky salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
Directions
Pickled cucumber salad
Mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Toss the cucumber slices in it. Sprinkle with pepper and leave to marinate for 30 minutes. Drain well and stir in the dill.
Dill crème fraîche
Mix crème fraîche, dill and lemon juice.
Assembly
Butter the rye bread. Spread the dill crème fraîche. Top with the pickled cucumber salad. Garnish with dill, flaky salt and pepper.