Smørrebrød: Danish Open-Faced Sandwiches with Fried Mackerel

DANISH·NON-VEGSource

A classic Danish open-faced sandwich featuring pan-fried mackerel, a tangy remoulade, and fresh garnishes on rye bread.

Ingredients

21

REMOULADE

Mayonnaise

1 cup

Capers

2 tbsp

Diced Gherkins

2 tbsp

Diced Onion

1 tbsp

Diced Carrot

1 tbsp

Diced Celery

1 tbsp

Dijon Mustard

1 tsp

Curry Powder

½ tsp

Lemon Juice

1 tsp

Salt

To taste

to taste

PICKLED ONIONS

Red Onion

thinly sliced

1 piece

White Wine Vinegar

½ cup

Sugar

1 tbsp

Water

½ cup

FISH

Mackerel

cleaned and filleted

2 pieces

Rapeseed Oil

2 tbsp

Salt

To taste

to taste

FOR ASSEMBLY

Rye Bread

4 slices

Fried Onions

¼ cup

Radishes

thinly sliced

4 pieces

Fresh Dill

chopped

¼ cup

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Instructions

1Make the Remoulade5m

Combine Ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, capers, diced gherkins, diced onion, diced carrot, diced celery, Dijon mustard, curry powder, and lemon juice. Stir until well combined.

Season

Season with salt to taste. Stir again and set aside.

2Pickle the Onions5m

Prepare Brine

In a small saucepan, combine white wine vinegar, sugar, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Pickle Onions

Add the thinly sliced red onion to the saucepan. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for at least 5 minutes to pickle.

3Prepare the Fish10m

Remove Guts

Carefully remove the guts from the cleaned mackerel fillets. You can do this by making a shallow cut along the belly cavity and scraping them out.

Remove Bones

Using a sharp knife, cut along the spine to remove the fillets from the bone. Then, carefully cut along the natural curve of the remaining bones to remove them from the fillet.

Cut Fish

Cut the mackerel fillets into bite-sized pieces, about 1-2 inches long.

Season Fish

Season the fish pieces with salt on both sides.

4Cook the Fish5m

Heat Pan

Heat the rapeseed oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Fry Fish

Carefully place the seasoned mackerel pieces into the hot skillet. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. The fish should be flaky and moist.

Drain Fish

Remove the fish from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

5Assemble the Sandwiches5m

Prepare Bread

Slice the rye bread into 4 pieces, about 1/2 inch thick.

Spread Remoulade

Generously spread a layer of the remoulade onto each slice of rye bread.

Add Fish

Arrange the fried mackerel pieces on top of the remoulade.

Garnish

Top each sandwich with thinly sliced radishes, crispy fried onions, pickled red onions, and fresh dill sprigs.