Smørrebrød: the Danish open-faced sandwiches you should try!

Sometimes, I miss my college days. Particularly, the year I spent in Norway as an exchange student. For the past few years, I've been wanting to go back to Scandinavia and show my husband the fjords and the dramatic landscapes. It really is a special place from where I have so many beautiful memories. Recently, I was reminiscing about Denmark and the delicious cinnamon rolls I ate in Copenhagen. One thing led to another and I ended up baking sourdough rye bread to make smørrebrød, Danish open-faced sandwiches that are everywhere in Copenhagen.

Rye bread and I come a long way. When I was in Norway, I hated it. However, I've grown fond of it and now I bake it every other week. I make it with sourdough starter and a combination of dark and light rye flours. I might share the recipe in the future :)

Smørrebrød originated in the Middle Ages, it used to be called "Smøre og brød" in Danish, literally translating to English as"butter and bread". Thick slices of stale bread, or trenchers, served as plates, which absorbe the juices of foods. One would spread a generous amount of butter over a sturdy slice of rugbrød (rye bread), placing prepared foods or leftovers over the slices of bread and butter. This humble staple has evolved into one of the flag dishes of Scandinavia, making its way into 5-star restaurants.

To me, smørrebrød is a no-brainer: you get a good rye bread and quality ingredients, and you might have the best sandwich of your life. Only a few essentials are necessary:

• Sliced rye bread (Rugbrød)

• A spread or sauce: mayo, butter, hummus, Danish remoulade,...

• Toppings: as far as combos go, the sky is the limit! Classic combinations include smoked salmon + fennel, roasted salmon + cucumber, roast beef + pickles, pickled herring, roast beef, etc.

Here are some of the toppings I included:

• Caramelised onions, roasted potatoes, radishes, and dill

• Hummus, cucumber, truffle oil, and chilly flakes

• Avocado, boiled eggs, lemon drizzle + pepper

Cream cheese, sautéed asparagus + sautéed (and slightly burned - oops) nuts

I don't think there's much of a science behind making smørrebrød, however, a few essentials must be considered:

1. The bread, used as a base to build upon all flavours, must be rye bread. I mean the sort of rye bread that is sold in packages and normally already thinly sliced. You can, however, bake your own rye bread, which is the best alternative as you can play with dark and light rye flour and include the seeds of your choice. For instance, in my rye bread, I included fennel, sesame and flax seeds, and a pinch of espresso powder. Some nice additions include whole oats, sunflower seeds, or caraway seeds.

2. Before adding any topping, toast your bread slightly in a toaster, oven, or pan. This isn't a necessary step as bread can absolutely be eaten cold or straight of the package, but toasting your bread works as a flavour enhancer. To me, when my bread is warm, flavours and textures are more obvious. In any case, you are the best judge so eat your bread as you prefer :)

3. You can omit this step but I'd urge you to add a base to your slice of rye bread, it just makes the whole open-faced sandwich moister and flavourful. Classic options might include butter, cream cheese, or Danish remoulade (a Danish condiment used as a dip and sauce), or whatever sauce or spread your heart desires. Trendy versions include hummus, horseradish cream, or mustard cream. Use your imagination and adapt it to your own taste!

4. Prepare and slice your toppings firstly, so then you only need to assemble. For instance, if you are using roast beef, prepare it and slice it in advance. If you use cucumbers, slice them before even grabbing the bread. Prepping your ingredients in advance makes assembling smørrebrød very easy.

5. It's a good idea to consider how you're going to serve it. If it's for a gathering, will guests prepare their own smørrebrød or the sandwiches will be already assembled? For Christmas in Denmark, families gather to prepare their own custom versions of this sandwich, mixing and matching with different ingredients.

6. This is not only with regards to this recipe, but try to use local and seasonal products. It just makes everything more flavourful and it just feels good.

7. It's custom to eat smørrebrød with fork and knife :)

8. Serve drinks along smørrebrød: beer is a typical choice, but white wine will make a great pairing with fish versions. Typically, snaps (the Danish version of German schnapps) are sipped during meals, especially on Easter, Christmas, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions.

Happy #toasttuesday friends!

Skål!