Smørrebrød with Smoked Salmon, Horseradish Cream and Pickled Shallots

December 7, 2014

Smørrebrød with smoked salmon, horseradish cream and pickled shallots © kvalifood.com

Smoked salmon on smørrebrød is a Scandinavian classic rooted in the Nordic tradition of cold-smoking over beech wood to preserve and refine fish. Cold-smoked salmon has a silky texture and a milder smokiness than hot-smoked, and it is cut into paper-thin slices draped in soft folds over the bread. The horseradish gives a warm, sharp bite that cuts through the richness of the salmon — a combination found throughout Northern Europe. The pickled shallots add sweetness and acidity, and the capers provide salty punctuation. It is a smørrebrød about balance between richness, acidity and sharpness.

Smoked salmon with horseradish cream and pickled shallots assembly © kvalifood.com

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

Horseradish cream

1 dl crème fraîche 38%
2–3 tbsp freshly grated horseradish
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp honey
salt
white pepper

Pickled shallots

4 shallots, cut into thin rings
1 dl red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 bay leaf

Assembly

4 slices white bread
butter, for the bread
200 g cold-smoked salmon, thinly sliced
2 tbsp small capers
fresh dill
grated lemon zest
coarsely crushed black pepper

Directions

Pickled shallots

Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and bay leaf to a boil. Pour over the shallots in a bowl. Leave to steep for at least 1 hour — overnight is better.

Horseradish cream

Mix the crème fraîche with the grated horseradish, lemon juice and honey. Season with salt and white pepper. The horseradish should have a real bite — do not hold back.

Assembly

Butter the bread. Drape the salmon slices in soft folds over the bread. Add spoonfuls of horseradish cream. Top with pickled shallots and capers. Garnish with dill, grated lemon zest and coarsely crushed pepper.