Category Archives: Open Faced Sandwiches

Open faced sandwiches are a Scandinavian tradition that has evolved into an artform. Enjoy colorful and tasty creations, and get wild with your ingredients.

Potato Sandwich with Remoulade, Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

I love potatoes and I love bread. This sandwich brings out the best in both of them. Half a ciabatta roll, toasted (for the ‘crunch’) and with a light spread of tarragon mustard. Add potato, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and a few more things you can read about below, and you got yourself a treat for lunch. Yes, it’s as good as it looks!

I made this after a long day at work, one of those days where you really just want to get home and sleep, but you’re starving… Having a potato handy in the fridge from dinner the night before became my saving grace.

Potato ciabatta roll with pumpkin seeds and grape tomatoes
Potato on Ciabatta Roll with Pumpkin Seeds and Grape Tomatoes

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Brie Sandwich with Avocado, Watercress and Sprouts

For me, one of the elements of a good sandwich is relevance. What do I mean? Each element brings something necessary to the sandwhich: the spread might serve to unite disparate flavors, the fried onions to give flavor and also add needed texture etc.  Nothing must be superfluous. Sometimes I fail in the relevance battle because I am outvoted by Anders for whom there is never just enough… in his sandwhich world view, there is always this little bit more that can be added.  As you can imagine, between my relevance approach and his delight in superfluity, we often need the United Nations to mediate our sandwhich choices. Sometimes I win. This little one is one such victory.

Smoked goat brie cheese sandwich with water crest salad and avocado
Brie sandwich with avocado, watercress and sprouts

 

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Roast Beef Sandwich with Horseradish, Sweet Dill Pickles and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Another variation of the roast beef sandwich, this one has a lot more bite with the added mustard and horseradish sauce.

Roastbeef with horseradish mayonnaise and sun dried tomatoes
Roast Beef with Horseradish Mayonnaise, Sweet Dill Pickles and Sun Dried Tomatoes

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Roast Beef Sandwich with Capers, Sweet Dill Pickles and Fried Onions

The roast beef sandwich is yet another classic piece of smørrebrød. Generous layers of roast beef are stacked with remoulade, capers, sweet dill pickles, fried onions, salt and pepper. It comes with a variety of options, such as different smears (duck fat, butter, roasted garlic or mustard like this one). Typically it also has a nice little dash of shredded horseraddish, but I couldn’t find any on the day I made this.

Roastbeef Sandwich
Roastbeef Sandwich

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Smoked Mackerel with Scrambled Eggs, Green Onions and Dill

In Denmark, smoked mackerel was formerly a delicacy reserved for special occasions such as family Christmas luncheons, or fancy dinner parties.  Danish smoked mackerel typically comes from Bornholm, which is famous for its many smokehouses.  Although made with smoked mackerel, this sandwich would work well with other smoked fish e.g. smoked salmon.

Smoked mackerel with scrambled eggs and dill
Smoked mackerel with scrambled eggs and dill

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Classic Danish Cheese Sandwich

The classic Danish cheese sandwich is extravagent to say the least. This one, from the restaurant Peter Liep, represents the extreme amount of cheese that is needed. In fact, we couldn’t even see the bread when it was served.

Classic danish cheese sandwich
Classic danish cheese sandwich

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“The Veterinarians Midnight Snack” – Dyrlægens Natmad

“Dyrlægens natmad” as it is called in Denmark is an old sandwich like your mom used to make them. In English, it’s translated as “The veterenarians midnight snack”. It consists of liver pate on rye bread, topped with corned beef (or other salted meat), aspic, and onion rings. In this version, we start our assembly by adding lettuce at the base.

THe veterinarians nightly snack (Dyrlægens natmad)
THe veterinarians nightly snack (Dyrlægens natmad)

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Egg Sandwich with tomatoes and onions

Classic Egg and Tomato sandwich on Rye bread, served on a lettuce leaf with onions, green onions and mayonaise. Simple, easy, yummy, and a great way to eat an egg.

This sandwich is served at many danish restaurants with a good selection of smørrebrød.

The onions brings out a light ‘crunch’ that most great sandwiches should have, but too much onion can overpower the eggs, so the green onions, milder, adds the last flavor.

Egg sandwiches are often lightly sprinkled with salt, but that is an individual option.

Egg sandwich
Egg sandwich

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Classic Pickled Herring Sandwich

This pickled herring sandwich is served on rye bread with red onions, capers and parsley. There are many variations of pickled herring and if you have an Ikea nearby, there is a big chance you might be able to find an jar of pickled herring there. Most open faced sandwich feasts in Denmark starts with fish, usually herring such as this. They are usually served with the local schnapps (Snaps), cooled in the freezer, which you are expected to drink in one fell swoop as a shot. The schnapps really brings out the flavor of the herring, and should not be missed.

Pickled herring in tomato sandwich
Pickled herring in tomato sandwich

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“Flakfortet” – Smoked Cream Cheese Potato Sandwich

I know, I know.. you’re thinking “Potato sandwhich! More starch as a topping for bread?”. That was my first impression when I first heard of this one. However, as with all things culinary, the adventurous are often generously rewarded.  This adaptation was inspired while on a sailing trip to the Danish island “Flakfortet” (hence the name of the sandwich).  It was constructed from what was available on the boat, and it turned out to be a passenger favorite. The subtle taste of the Smoked Cream Cheese (A Danish delicacy from Fyn), blends perfectly with the potato and radishes.

Smoked cream cheese potato sandwich
Smoked cream cheese potato sandwich

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