A smørrebrød is an open-faced sandwich made with rye bread. In the 19^th century it was considered to be a complete breakfast for the Danish people. For Raphaël Podlasiewicz, executive chef of Strøm’s Nord restaurants and Fika café, the smørrebrød is a blank canvas. Salty or sweet and perfect as an appetizer, this toast can be recreated according to inspiration and with seasonal ingredients. To add a touch of freshness to this Scandinavian classic, we played with different textures by layering the crunchy salad seasoned with aromas of the boreal forest on top of Nordic shrimp.

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Preparation time: 20 minutes | Servings: 2 open-faced sandwiches [smørrebrøds]

Ingredients

– 2 slices of Nordic bread (can be replaced by rye or pumpernickel bread)

– 1 ½ cup Nordic shrimp remoulade (see recipe below)

• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 6 dried juniper berries
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 ½ cup of cooked and peeled Nordic shrimp
• Salt and pepper to taste

– ½ cup kohlrabi, fennel and cucumber salad (see recipe below)

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small kohlrabi, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ thinly sliced fennel
• 1 Libanese cucumber, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

– ¼ cup sea buckthorn berries

– Microgreens of your choice (lamb’s lettuce, sunflower, alfalfa, radish, etc.)

Preparation

Step 1 – Making the Nordic shrimp remoulade

1. In a skillet over high heat, dry roast the caraway seeds, coriander seeds and juniper berries for 1 minute. Set the mixture aside and allow to cool.
2. Using a mortar or a spice grinder, grind the spice mixture and set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix plain yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, fresh herbs and spice mixture.
4. Add the Nordic shrimp and season to taste. Refrigerate.

Step 2 – Assembling the kohlrabi, fennel and cucumber salad

1. In a bowl, combine shallot, honey, mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste.
2. Add the kohlrabi, fennel and cucumber. Mix well and let the preparation rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to maximize the flavours.

Step 3 – Making the smørrebrøds

1. Toast two slices of Nordic bread until golden brown and crispy.
2. Garnish the bread slices with the shrimp remoulade. Randomly add the sea buckthorn berries so that you can find them in every bite. Top with the kohlrabi, fennel and cucumber salad.
3. Finish by decorating with microgreens of your choice.