Smørrebrød with roastbeef, Italian salad and horseradish
Roastbeef with Italian salad and horseradish © kvalifood.com
Italian salad (italiensk salat) is, despite its name, a thoroughly Danish invention — a mayonnaise-based salad with peas, carrots and white asparagus that has nothing to do with Italy. It was created by Danish delicatessen makers and has been a fixture on Danish smørrebrød since the early 1900s. Here it is served with pink roastbeef and freshly grated horseradish, which cuts through the mild, creamy salad with a sharp heat. Watercress adds a peppery freshness that lifts the otherwise substantial elements. It is a solid, unpretentious piece of smørrebrød.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Italian salad
- 100 g peas (frozen, thawed)
- 1 carrot, cut into small dice and cooked
- 4 white asparagus (tinned or cooked), cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- salt
- white pepper
Assembly
- 4 slices dark rye bread
- butter, for the bread
- 200 g cold roastbeef, thinly sliced
- fresh horseradish
- watercress
- coarsely ground black pepper
Directions
Italian salad
Mix peas, carrots and asparagus with mayonnaise, crème fraîche and mustard. Season with salt and white pepper. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Assembly
Butter the rye bread. Fold the roastbeef slices on the bread. Spread Italian salad on top. Grate fresh horseradish directly over. Garnish with watercress and pepper.