Take whatever you think you know about sandwiches and step it up a notch: in Denmark, the sandwich is outshone (quite nicely) by the smørrebrød – an open-faced sandwich whose limits are imposed only by your culinary imagination.

Smorrebrod starts very simply: all you really need to make it is Danish rye bread and butter.

“It becomes smørrebrød the second you have the bread and butter on it,” Scott Peabody, head chef at The Copenhagen in New York, told Serious Eats. “Anything else you put on after that is extra.”

For this reason, make sure that you start your smørrebrød right, with real Danish rugbrod or rye bread. Danish rye is a dense, grainy bread that will add tons of flavor to your sandwich and provide a sturdy base for toppings. You can find it in some bakeries, or you can make it yourself. There are several recipes out there, but we like this one, which doesn’t require quite as long a fermentation as some others.

Once you have your bread and a smear of good-quality butter (said to keep the bread from soaking up too much moisture and getting soggy before you finish eating), you can top it with pretty much anything you like. To give you a few ideas, here are some of our favorite smørrebrød recipes.

1. Herring

Herring is a fairly common smørrebrød ingredient, and it’s an excellent seafood choice. Net-caught Pacific herring is one of the most sustainable fish options out there, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and this fish is also rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

In this recipe, pickled herring is paired with sweet beets and just a hint of creaminess afforded by sour cream. Garnishes like green onions, dill, and capers round out this dish nicely.

2. Baby Shrimp

Baby shrimp are yet another classic smørrebrød ingredient. This Danish recipe traditionally features tiny North Sea shrimp, though North Atlantic shrimp will work nicely as well. If your seafood is of good quality, all you need is a smear of butter and a squeeze of lemon for this smørrebrød to be perfect.

3. Potato and Horseradish Smørrebrød

The description of this smørrebrød as a “baked potato sandwich” is apt: thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes are topped with crispy fried shallots, chives, and fresh red onion. A creamy horseradish sauce base adds some tang and spice.

4. Eggs in Purgatory Smørrebrød

No one’s claiming this one is a traditional smørrebrød, but with all the innovation happening on the Danish dining scene these days, there’s no reason you can’t experiment with atypical toppings. This recipe pairs traditional Danish rye bread with a spiced tomato sauce and a baked egg. It’s delicious any time of day, but we think it’s the perfect breakfast smørrebrød option.

5. Roast Beef Smørrebrød with Remoulade

Remoulade is a very common Danish condiment. It’s essentially a combination of mayonnaise, pickles, capers, herbs, and a touch of curry. It pairs really nicely with rare roast beef in this sandwich, and a little cornichon pickle on top is the perfect garnish.

6. Fried Fish Smørrebrød with Remoulade

A slightly more involved version of remoulade sauce is the base for a gluten-free fried fish fillet in this recipe. Top the sandwich with a poached egg for a touch more richness.

7. Smashed Chickpea and Avocado

This vegan smørrebrød features a chunky smashed avocado and chickpea spread flavored simply with scallion, lemon, and olive oil. Feel free to garnish with sprouts, spinach, or roasted chickpeas for a bit of crunch.

Related on EcoSalon
The Rise of the Scandinavian Cocktail: Getting to Know Aquavit
Style Clash: Country Comfort Meets Simple Scandinavian
The Nordic Diet: Eating Like a Viking is Good for All of Us

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ColumnYour guide to throwing your own Swedish Midsummer celebration.

This week marks the summer solstice, and if there’s any place that knows how to celebrate this time of year, it’s Sweden. Its northern latitude makes the winters dark and long and the summers light and short, which means there’s plenty of reason to celebrate the official start to the summer season which kicks off at midsommar.

Midsommar was originally celebrated on June 24, but in 1953 was moved to the nearest Saturday – you can’t have a big celebration in the middle of the week after all. The real celebration is the Friday night before, on Midsommarafton – Midsummer’s Eve –  the time when you gather your friends and families, cover long tables in an array of traditional food, put up a midsummer pole and sing songs as you drink Aquavit, or snaps as the Swedes call it.

I get nostalgic around this time, pining after the land where the sun barely sets and the party thrown in celebration of the season continues into the wee hours of the morning. It’s a day of food, friends and tradition.

Sweden might be small when it comes to population, but in terms of food and culture, the country carries some weight, and with the Scandinavian takeover in the culinary world, midsummer and its traditions has made its way across the Atlantic, which for the rest of us, means the chance to drink artisanal Aquavit without the plane ride.

Here’s the quick guide to the essentials for throwing your own midsummer celebration.

Drinks

A standard in Scandinavian liquor cabinets, Aquavit is less of a tradition here on the other side of the Atlantic, but two artisanal distilleries are making a name for themselves with classic renditions: North Shore Distillery in Chicago, Illinois and House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon.

Want to truly go underground? Make your own. You can turn practically anything into a good snaps, you just need flavorful herbs and spices, or even berries – anything from dill to ginger to raspberries – and a bottle of vodka. Let store in a cool, dark place for at least a few days, and taste to gauge flavor. To increase the taste, you can also add in a couple pinches of sugar.

Chive and Lemon Snaps (adapted from GP.se)

• 10 minutes + 1 week
• 750 ml bottle of vodka
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 4 stalks of chives
• lemon zest of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients in bottles and let stand in cool, dark place for at least 1 week. Shake bottle every few days. When ready, strain vodka as chives lose their color if left in too long.

To complete the drinking process, you’ll also need a good snapsvisa or two, songs sung specifically in conjunction with the drinking of aquavit. Start with the classic Helan Går.

Main course

Midsommar food is easy and it all starts with a good base of pickled herring, salmon and potatoes with dill. In New York, the go-to spot for pickled herring is Russ & Daughters, but if you’re located on one of the coasts, you can often find it at local seafood markets, or even make your own.

To top off the fish, serve up a classic dill mustard sauce, taken from my kitchen staple, Vår Kokbok:

• 3 tablespoons mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped dill

Mix mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar in a bowl. Add oil in a slow and steady stream, whisking quickly the entire time. If oil is added too quickly in the beginning, it will separate from the rest of the sauce. Once oil has been added and sauce has been mixed, whisk in dill just before serving. Serve over fish and potatoes.

Dessert

If you’re lucky enough to live in New York, you might take inspiration from Sockerbit, a store devoted to serving up the best of lösgodis, Sweden’s popular bulk candy; no midsummer is complete without a few bowls of colorful candy carefully placed around the room. Other dessert necessities are strawberries, whipped cream and maybe even a good chocolate cake. I like to make a big batch of chokladbollar (pictured at the top) – easy to make, delicious and totally unhealthy.

• 1 stick of butter
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 2.5 cups oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Optional: 1 tablespoon ground coffee

Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in cocoa, vanilla, water and oats (if you’re adding in coffee, mix in as well). Form mixture into small balls, and roll in coconut to cover them. Refrigerate until serving.

Find yourself a rustic picnic table, cover it in wildflowers and let the party begin. Glad midsommar!

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s weekly column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground, discovering what’s new and different in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to the culinary avant garde.

Images: Anna Brones

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Notice how any recent mention of fare from Sweden, Norway and Denmark also denotes how a Scandinavian food trend is quickly making its way into all kinds of food markets?

Why it’s taken so long for Scandinavian fare to hit the global market is beyond me, but with simple, down to earth ingredients, in the time of slow food movements and a return to more classic, traditional recipes, the timing for Viking-inspired recipes makes sense. Point being, Scandinavian inspired recipes are going to be hot this year, and you’d better prepare yourself.

Growing up with a Swedish mother and annual trips to visit my family have certainly impacted the way that I cook, and for a while now, I’ve been drooling over Kalle Bergman’s Huffington Post column, every time thinking to myself, “I need to be writing that.” Well, now’s the time.

Here’s your quick and dirty guide to everything you need to know to staying on top of the Scandinavian food trend.

The Basics

A Scandinavian diet isn’t complicated or diverse. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to really call it chic. But it’s good for you. And it’s all about tradition.

Made up of wholesome ingredients, the Scandinavian essentials keep the region’s inhabitants healthy and happy. Just like their design aesthetic, Scandinavian food is simple{ a mixture of whole grains, berries (preferably picked fresh in the summer), vegetables, Omega-3 rich fish like salmon and herring, hard cheeses, fresh dairy, and a bit of poultry and lean meats thrown in for good measure.

A classic Scandinavian meal? A combination of potatoes, fish, a simple but tasty sauce, teamed with plenty of greens, a side of hearty, whole grain bread and a glass of sparkling water.

Pickled herring

Despite what you may have heard, pickled herring is in fact delicious. Make it a 2011 resolution to try some.

Fika

Scandinavians love their coffee, and in Sweden there’s even a specific word that refers to the time of day when you grab a cup of coffee and a little something to snack on with it. There’s normally a morning and an afternoon fika, and you don’t always have to team your coffee with a baked good, but anyone that has traveled to Scandinavia knows that options abound. If nothing else, fika is a reminder to take a quick break from your daily duties. You can do it by yourself or with friends, but it’s a time to check out from your everyday reality and enjoy life.

Cardamom

This ingredient is a Swedish staple, making its way into baked goods, drinks and plenty of other concoctions. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a Scandinavian cinnamon roll that doesn’t have a taste of cardamom in it. For fun, throw a dash of cardamom in your morning coffee. And then pair it with this easy cake.

Cardamom Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cardamom
• 7 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add in butter with your fingers and mix until crumbly consistency.

Add in egg and milk and mix until a batter consistency.

Pour into a greased baking pan. If you want, sprinkle with sliced almonds or orange zest.

Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes.

Knäckebröd

Otherwise known as hardtack or crispbread, knäckebröd is a Scandinavian staple. In the U.S, an easy to find option is the Wasa brand. For a classic Scandinavian breakfast, serve up a basket of crispbread and cover the rest of the table in pålägg, everything that you can possibly think of that you could put on your crispbread: tomatoes, cucumber, hard boiled egg, sliced cheese, meat – the list goes on. Serve with a big cup of tea or coffee and you’ve started your day with a Scandinavian twist.

Dill

Use it, love it. Boil up a pot of potatoes, douse in olive oil and salt, and throw on a few tablespoons of chopped dill. You’ll never go back.

Sauces

Maybe it’s because the Scandinavian diet is high in fish, but there seems to be a multitude of sauces. These aren’t your cream-heavy sauces of the French conviction. Swedish sauces are light, often citrusy, and go well with fish and potatoes. My favorite? A traditional Gravlaxsås, served with its namesake, gravlax, a form of cured salmon.

Gravlaxsås

• 3 tablespoons mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped dill

Mix mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a bowl.

Add in oil very slowly, constantly whisking. Note: I always do this by hand, but because you need to maintain a constant rhythm of whisking to keep the oil from separating from the rest of the ingredients, an electric mixer can be useful.

Mix until sauce is thick and creamy, then add in dill.

Lingonberries

In Sweden, we often eat them with meatballs, and summers are spent handpicking the small, red berries and turning them into jams to be used later in the heart of winter. Lingonberries have the tart/sweet blend that make them the ideal ingredient for jams, pies and even using in salads and combining with savory dishes.

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Images: Anna Brones

The post Foodie Underground: Scandinavian Takeover appeared first on EcoSalon.