Smørrebrød with Prawns and Lemon Tarragon Mayo
Prawn smørrebrød with hand-peeled prawns and lemon tarragon mayo © kvalifood.com
Prawn smørrebrød is one of the more expensive pieces and has always signalled something celebratory. It’s traditionally served on white bread, and the point is simple: so many prawns that the bread disappears under them. The quality of the prawns is everything — hand-peeled fjord prawns or Greenlandic prawns with their natural sweetness and firm bite are what lift the dish. The lemon tarragon mayo here gives an aromatic depth that a plain mayo doesn’t have, with tarragon’s slightly anise-like note as a counterpoint to the sweetness of the prawns. It’s a smørrebrød that doesn’t try to be clever — it’s about the ingredient and using enough of it.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Lemon tarragon mayo
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1½ dl neutral oil
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
- salt
- white pepper
To serve
- 4 slices white bread
- butter, for the bread
- 400 g hand-peeled prawns (fjord prawns or Greenlandic prawns)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- fresh dill in large sprigs
- flaky salt
- white pepper, freshly ground
Directions
Lemon tarragon mayo
Whisk the egg yolk and mustard together in a bowl. Add the oil in a very thin stream, whisking constantly, until the mayo is thick and emulsified. Season with lemon juice, tarragon, salt and white pepper. The mayo should have a clear citrus and tarragon flavour.
To serve
Spread the bread generously with butter. Spread a thin layer of lemon tarragon mayo over. Pile the prawns high — it’s important that the bread disappears under the prawns. Garnish with large dill sprigs and lemon wedges. Sprinkle with flaky salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Tip: Only use prawns that smell of the sea — never of ammonia. Fjord prawns from Limfjorden are ideal.