Smørrebrød

A good Sauv Blanc like the Tomich Wing & A Prayer is a great accompaniment for appetisers and particularly seafood – the subtle passionfruit and zesty citrus make it a great pairing for the fresh and delicious combination of textures and flavours in a smørrebrød spread. Smørrebrød (pronounced SMUHR–bruth, kind of) is Danish for an open sandwich, well the literal meaning is butter (smør) and bread (brød) but those are just the foundations for an array of delicious and beautifully presented toppings. A spread of tasty smørrebrød is a fabulous food experience to present to friends for a summer lunch. Like with many things in Denmark, there are rules to the making and eating of smørrebrød – but the key tips are: pile high and eat with a knife and fork (you’ll understand the latter if you try eating these like a traditional sandwich and find the toppings in your lap!) A favourite topping for many Danes is the frikadeller – a fritter or rissole, made with minced beef or pork and veal. The Fiskefrikadeller is a fish version, usually made with cod or other white flaky fish. For this recipe, I’ve used salmon – another staple of the Nordic diet, as it gives a bit of extra oomph to the fritter and is always readily available. The Fiskefrikadeller is often served as a main meal, accompanied by buttery potatoes, pickled red cabbage, cucumber salad and remoulade - the Danish version of a kind of tartare sauce which is used on everything. The leftover frikadeller are great as a filling for rolls and sandwiches or as a smørrebrød topping. Serve the fish cakes with other traditional smørrebrød toppings such as shrimp (usually the tiny Nordic variety but small Australian prawns will work too) with sliced boiled egg and remoulade; sliced rare roast beef with red onion, capers and horseradish; smoked or pickled fish with curried sauce or a less traditional but delicious combination like blue cheese, sliced pear and walnuts, drizzled with honey.

Fiskefrikadeller (Danish fish cakes)

Ingredients

700g salmon fillets, skin and bones removed and chopped into small pieces 100g smoked salmon, chopped ¼ cup panko crumbs (and 1 cup extra for crumbing) 2 spring onions, finely sliced 1 birdseye chilli seeds removed and finely chopped or a splash of tabasco (optional) 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt or crème fraiche ½ small brown onion, grated 3 teaspoons capers (whole) 1 tablespoon of lemon juice Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Vegetable oil for shallow frying Fresh dill to garnish

Method

Mix chopped salmon fillets and smoked salmon in blender but don’t blend to a fine paste, keep it slightly chunky. Place salmon into large bowl and add ¼ cup of panko crumbs, spring onions, chilli (if including), yoghurt, grated onion, capers, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Form large tablespoons of the mixture into patties. Traditional frikadeller are not usually crumbed before frying, but instead cooked gently in butter. If you would like a crispy outside, add the extra panko crumbs to a large plate and carefully coat the patties all over before transferring to a large platter. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large frying pan and add frikadeller (don’t overcrowd the pan). Fry on both sides for around 3-5 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown. Remove excess oil on a paper towel lined plate and serve either as a main dish with other traditional Danish accompaniments or allow to cool slightly and serve on smørrebrød.

Ingredients

Dense rye bread, sliced Good quality butter Toppings as above, or create your own delicious and unique toppings

Remoulade

Ingredients (makes roughly 1 3/4 cups)

1 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup crème fraiche 1/2 cup pickles or cornichons, finely chopped ½ to 1 teaspoon curry powder 3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard 1-2 tablespoons capers, chopped

Method

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, tasting as you go – adjust the quantity of pickles and capers to suit your taste.