gravlax smørrebrød

If you know me, then you know I’m not always great at pronouncing things. Good luck trying to pronounce this one properly. Thankfully, you don’t need to be able to say it (grahv-locks smuhr-brot), or know that it means “salmon in a grave butter and bread,” in order to make it. This Danish classic is a simple open-faced sandwich with salmon, and although there are traditions involved here, there’s a little bit of wiggle room, too. Kate, if you’re reading, this one is for you and the Danish in you and your family! Love you!

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Step 1

1 Make the horseradish-chive cream. In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, zest and juice of the lemon, horseradish, garlic, chives, and dill until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Make sure not to undersalt this; it needs a little more than you think.) Set aside. 2 Toast the bread however you would like. (I usually toast mine in a pan with butter, but a regular toaster oven, and without butter, works great, too.) Let the toast cool slightly so it’s not ripping hot. 3 While the toast is cooling, in a small bowl, cover the shallots with water. Drain and repeat two more times (to help reduce the aggressive bite of the shallots). Drain well. 4 Spread a generous amount of the horseradish-chive cream onto the slices of toast. Top with 2 to 3 gravlax slices. Garnish with the radish slices, the rinsed shallot rings, and fi nally the fresh dill. Really take your time here—make it look beautiful. Top with caviar (if using) because it’s a classic fl avor on this and also for the fl ex. (Or don’t. It’s not necessary at all.) Enjoy