Smørrebrød with Venison Salad, Pickled Mushrooms and Juniper Cream

Name: Smørrebrød with Venison Salad, Pickled Mushrooms and Juniper Cream
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min

December 10, 2025

Prep 20 min Total 35 min

Venison salad with pickled mushrooms and juniper cream © kvalifood.com

Venison salad belongs at the finer end of the smørrebrød repertoire and tastes of autumn and forest. Game has a deeper, more intense flavour than ordinary meat and pairs well with strong accompaniments: pickled mushrooms with their earthy acidity, and juniper cream with its resinous spice. Juniper is a classic game seasoning, and here it is used in a cream that adds aroma without overwhelming. This is a smørrebrød you find at traditional smørrebrød restaurants in autumn when the hunting season is on.

Venison salad with pickled mushrooms and juniper cream assembly © kvalifood.com

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

Juniper cream

1 dl crème fraîche 38%
4 juniper berries, crushed and finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
salt

Pickled mushrooms

200 g mixed mushrooms (chanterelles, porcini)
1 dl white wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
3 peppercorns

Venison salad

200 g smoked (or poached) game, pulled into pieces
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
salt
pepper

Assembly

4 slices dark rye bread
butter, for the bread
watercress
coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

Pickled mushrooms

Clean and halve the mushrooms. Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf and pepper to the boil. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Leave to cool in the liquid.

Juniper cream

Mix crème fraîche, juniper berries and lemon juice. Leave to rest 15 minutes.

Venison salad

Mix the game with mayo, crème fraîche and parsley. Season to taste.

Assembly

Spread the bread with butter. Distribute the venison salad. Top with pickled mushrooms. Add a dollop of juniper cream. Garnish with watercress and pepper.