In our household, Gareth is the undisputed king of anything pastry. Pies, sausage rolls, wellingtons, he is the man to go to. All of which make excellent accompaniments to beer. But recently I’ve thrown my hat into the ring, and brought an easy-to-make, yet smart and outstandingly good snack to the drinking table. Enter the Danish speciality, smørrebrød. 

I spent many years living in Sweden, and when I lived in the South, I would often take a trip over to Copenhagen for the day. It’s a really wonderful city - and the beer is cheaper than in Sweden. It was there that I first discovered smørrebrød. Before the Øresund bridge was built to connect Sweden and Denmark by road/rail (the one made famous in the Scandi series The Bridge), you would have to take the ferry. Already there, onboard in the ferry café, you would be greeted with the visual art that is smørrebrød. And once in Denmark, you would be spoilt for choice for this classic dish.

What Are Smørrebrød?

Smørrebrød (literally ‘buttered bread’) are basically fancy open-faced sandwiches. Now the Swedes do their open sandwiches really well too. But Danish smørrebrød are particularly special.

An elegant yet filling, casual meal or snack, smørrebrød are perfect to keep you going when gathered around the beer keg. While usually eaten at lunch, smørrebrød are often served at special occasions. They are superb fare for entertaining; for a start, they look spectacular. And because most of the toppings are served either cold or at room temperature, they are convenient for prepping in advance (or for using up leftovers). They are also incredibly versatile, with so many great topping options, it’s hard to get bored of them.  

SMØRREBRØD TIPS

1. Smørrebrød should be eaten with a knife and fork, not your hands. It’s not just about keeping it classy, the construction of these beauties just isn’t made for tackling without cutlery! 

2. ‘Smørrebrød’ is both the singular and plural form of the word.  

3. There’s a bit of an order to eat them in. A pickled herring smørrebrød will be eaten first, followed by other types of fish/seafood. Then cold meat toppings, then warm meat toppings, then cheese versions. Obviously you don’t have to have all those types of toppings in one sitting. 

THE BREAD

Traditionally, smørrebrød are made with thin slices of dense, tangy sourdough rye bread. The one I used is actually a German rye bread, which you can find in some supermarkets and health food shops. Or, of course, you can easily bake your own. Just search the internet for a recipe for ‘Danish Rye Bread (rugbrød)’

You could also use another good quality bread. If it’s something like white sourdough then toast it first, so you have a good solid base for all those toppings. Do treat yourself to a decent loaf, perhaps something with seeds - this isn’t a sandwich that is well suited to a flimsy white sliced! 

TOPPINGS

Like most sandwiches, you don’t really need a recipe for smørrebrød. But here are some topping ideas. The key is to keep it quite simple. So none of those mega sandwiches you make at midnight after a few homebrews! It’s much better to make a small selection of elegant ones than pile all sorts of toppings onto one smørrebrød. And while you are going for good looking sandwiches here, they don’t have to be overly fussy and fancy when it comes to ingredients.  

Meat balls with creamy beetroot salad or pickled red cabbage (see picture on previous page)

Pickled herring, gherkins, dill

Shrimp, egg, mayo, dill, lemon

Roast beef, remoulade sauce, horseradish

Smoked salmon, sour cream, avocado

Sliced boiled potato or small fried cubes of potatoes and egg/cheese/avocado

Pâté with fried mushrooms

Sliced boiled egg (or for a vegan/egg-free alternative, sliced avocado with a sprinkle of black salt)

Sauces and garnishes

Crispy salad leaves or cucumber slices

Crispy fried onions or raw red onion

Mayonnaise

Remoulade sauce (see below)

Fruit like apples, plums, blackberries (as an addition to the savoury toppings rather than a sweet version)

Lemon slices

Beetroot - pickled, boiled or thin raw slices

Capers

Fresh herbs: dill, chives, tarragon, parsley

HOW TO MAKE SMØRREBRØD

Think about your sandwich here as layers. Start with a thick spread of good, salted butter. Then add your lettuce or cucumber, if you’re using them. Then work upwards with your toppings and sauces. Finishing with a garnish of sliced lemon or a frond of dill.

If you’re freestyling your toppings, be sure to strike a balance by cutting through your rich toppings (butter, meats, mayo etc) with fresh and citrus flavours like lemon and dill. And think about your seasoning. I love the salty citrus combination you get by adding capers and lemon to potatoes. 

Here’s how I made the one in the picture on the previous page with meat balls, avocado and beetroot salad. Thickly spread a thin slice of rye bread with a good butter. Add a layer of salad leaves. Then a row of thinly sliced avocado. Season with salt and pepper. Pop on a few meatballs, spoon the beetroot salad into the gaps, then squeeze over a little lemon juice before garnishing with a lemon slice and thin slices of red onion.

VEGETARIAN / VEGAN OPTIONS

While the above list of traditional smørrebrød toppings don’t look particularly veggie-friendly, there are endless delicious toppings you can enjoy. For example, it’s pretty easy to find veggie/vegan alternatives to meatballs, cold cuts, fish, cheese, mayo etc in many supermarkets. Veggie pâté is easy to make from mushrooms and butter beans - add miso, allspice and juniper for a nice earthy flavour. I’ve also made some great vegan pickled herring alternatives in the past using aubergine. And you can actually make an alternative to smoked salmon from carrots (take a look on the internet for recipes for both).

SERVING SIZES

These are pretty satisfying sandwiches, so you might find that you just need 2-3 per person. Though this obviously depends on the size of your bread slices, appetites and how much beer you’re drinking. If want something stronger than beer, smørrebrød are ideal with aquavit or schnapps. SkÃ¥l!

Remoulade

6 tbsp mayonnaise 

2 tbsp natural yoghurt or crème fraîche

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp finely chopped red onion

1 tbsp capers, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp chopped pickled gherkins

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon curry powder (optional) 

Instructions: Simply stir all the ingredients together.  

Creamy Beetroot Salad

Makes enough for 4 smørrebrød

150 g cooked, peeled beetroot, finely cubed 

3 tbsp natural yoghurt or crème fraîche

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice (add extra if the  beetroot isn’t pickled)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Simply stir all the ingredients together.