Open Sandwiches (Smørrebrød)

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Title: Open Sandwiches (Smørrebrød)
Categories: Danish, Sandwiches, Ceideburg 2
Yield: 4 servings

1 Text Only

There is no doubt that Denmark's open sandwiches (Smørrebrød) are the
most famous feature of the Danish kitchen. Strangely enough they are
not found elsewhere, even in neighboring countries. Danish
sandwiches have hundreds of variations and new ones are constantly
being composed.

From the simple, "flat", four sandwiches that office workers take
with them to work and be quite thin. Also white bread can be used, but it
should be with a eat at their desks accompanied by a bottle of
milk, they range to the gloriously colored "high" compositions, so
generous that three are enough for a meal, eaten at restaurants.
With the latter, piled high with good things, we drink Danish beer,
which is exported to nearly every country in the world. With
Smørrebrød too we drink Danish snaps, a clear, innocent-looking fluid
to be treated with respect.

Though few really enjoy the taste, it has the power to make you feel
happier, to loosen your tongue, to banish your inhibitions and to make
social occasions an unqualified success.

Recipes for some typical Danish sandwiches follow. In Denmark we
usually make them with dark rye bread. The bread should be made with
whole grain and should be as firm as possible, so that the slices can
be quite thin. Also white bread can be used, but it should be with a
heavy texture and it may be toasted. Fish is usually the starter and
from there one goes to the meat and salad. Almost inevitably Danes
wind up the smørrebrød meal with a piece of buttered white bread on
which a good cheese has been placed.

FINE PICKLED HERRINGS: (Fine marinade Sild)

Clean, skin and bone six large salt herrings and soak them overnight
in milk. Make a dressing of 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar and 1/4 cup
ordinary vinegar sweetened with 1/2 cup sugar. Add 1 chopped onion,
1 chopped cooked carrot, two chopped pickled gherkins and 1 cup
tomato ketchup and season with 10 whole cloves and 10 whole
peppercorns. Let the dressing stand overnight.

Rinse the herrings, cut in slices and let them stand in the dressing
for 24 hours before serving.

Drain the herring pieces well before putting them on buttered bread,
otherwise it might become soggy. Decorate with some of the onion
from the dressing.

EGGS AND HERRINGS: (Aeg og Sild)

Spread slices of hard boiled egg on buttered bread and place one or
more boned herrings lengthwise on the egg. Decorate with cress.

CHOPPED EGG AND HERRING: (Hakket Aeg og Sild)

Skin and bone two smoked herrings carefully. Boil two eggs until
hard and put in a glass or large cup together with the herrings. Run
a sharp knife quickly from side to side until the ingredients are
finely chopped and thoroughly mixed. Press the mixture on to
buttered bread and top with cress. Makes 4 sandwiches.

SMOKED HERRINGS AND EGG YOLKS: (Roget Sild med Aeggeblomme)

Butter the bread and top with long, cleaned fillets of smoked
herrings.

Make a cavity in the center of the fillets with your fingers, circle
it with a ring of raw onion, and put a raw egg yolk in it. Pile raw
onions or chopped radishes at both ends of the yolk.

From "Danish Cookery" by Suzanne, Andr. Fred. Host & Son, Copenhagen,
1957.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; March 9 1993.

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