There are tapas. There are anti pasta platters. For a minute there, butter boards were a thing. But Smørrebrød (pronounced smor-eh-broad) has been around for generations, serving up open-faced sandwiches in endless possibilities. Chef Andrea Uzarowski, owner of Boulder bakery, cafe, and Scandanavian goods shop, Süti & Co. tells In Good Taste readers how to Smørrebrød at home.
“Like shortbread cookies, smørrebrød holds a special place in my heart,” says Chef Andrea Uzarowski, who is now serving Scandinavian toasts every Tuesday at her Boulder bakery Süti & Co (more on that below). “It was a constant presence during family meals in my childhood, and now, as a chef, I am excited to share this beloved dish with my own children and with my guests. I can’t wait for everyone to taste the love and tradition that goes into every bite.”
The popular Danish dish is called Smørrebrød, which translates to “bread and butter,” but it’s so much more. Chef Andrea describes it as an open-faced sandwich built on heavy, whole grain bread (or rugbrød) topped with European butter and an array of ingredients, like fish, meats, cheeses and garnishes.
Chef Andrea says Danes are very regimented about their Smørrebrød, and they follow strict rules when it comes to their beloved sandwich. Follow these rules or make your own variations if you’re preparing it at home.
Here’s the proper way to prepare Smørrebrød:
1. Bread is KEY
You have to use rugbrød, which is a heavy bread packed with seeds and cracked whole grains. This is the base to hold all the toppings you are about to pack on top.
2. Use top-quality ingredients
This is a simple dish, so every ingredient is important
3. Think about structure
When building your smørrebrød, layer the thin, light toppings before layering on the bulky ones.
4. Avoid mixing proteins.
Leave the fish with the fish, the pork with the pork, etc.
5. Don’t forget garnishes
Top your smørrebrød with something crispy, acidic or green. A good rule of thumb for me: If you wouldn’t eat the garnish on its own, don’t put on top of the smørrebrød!
6. Eat your brød strategically
Danes usually have a variety of smørrebrød options in front of them, and they eat them in a certain order: The traditional pickled herring smørrebrød must be eaten first. Then, if there is another fish smørrebrød, that gets gobbled up second. Your meat smørrebrød comes in third, and then, finish your meal with a cheese smørrebrød. Pickled, acidic herring primes the palate for the rich meats, which would be disconcertingly heavy to eat after the simple cheese topped brød.
7. No hands allowed!
Use a fork and knife, as you cut through each topping. They smoosh against each other, which makes for a great bite instead of a messy one.
Chef Andrea Uzarowski is now serving her versions of Scandinavian Smørrebrød toasts every Tuesday at her bakery Süti & Co. Options will change weekly enabling Chef Andrea to get creative using fresh, seasonal ingredient combinations. The rye seed bread that will be the base of each smørrebrød is made in-store.
Coming soon at Süti & Co.: Supper Clubs
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