Smørrebrød with Prawns and Lemon Tarragon Mayo

April 18, 2011

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.

Prawn smørrebrød assembly © kvalifood.com

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.