The small Danish shrimps are extremely popular delicacies and most
Danish housewives are virtual masters at peeling them, but it is slow
work for the beginner. At restaurants shrimps are always served
peeled unless the customer specifically asks for unpeeled ones.
Put a fresh leaf of lettuce on the buttered bread and top abundantly
with cold boiled shrimps.
SMOKED SALMON AND SCRAMBLED EGG: (Roget Laks og Roraeg)
Put a piece of fresh smoked salmon on buttered bread, and on top of
that, diagonally across the bread, a strip of cold scrambled egg.
Decorate with finely chopped green dill.
LOBSTER SALAD: (Hummersalat)
Mix small pieces of cold but freshly cooked lobster and asparagus in
mayonnaise seasoned with tarragon vinegar. Put a lettuce leaf on each
piece of buttered bread and spread with the mixture. Garnish with an
extra piece of lobster and one or two asparagus tips. Serve
immediately.
SMOKED EEL AND SCRAMBLED EGG: (Roget aal og Roraeg)
Cut smoked eel in 2-inch pieces. Remove skin and back bone. Put
enough pieces of eel on a piece of buttered bread to cover it
completely. Top with slices of cold scrambled egg and sprinkle with
chives.
FRIED ROE: (Ristet Torskerogn)
Put boiled cod roe under pressure until cold and cut in 1/2 inch
slices with a sharp knife. Fry the slices in plenty of butter, place
on buttered bread with a lemon slice on top. Cut the lemon slice
half way and twist so it will stand upright.
FRIED FISH FILLETS: (Stegt Fiskefilet)
As the fried fish fillet (of plaice or sole) should be served warm,
do not place it on the bread as this would melt the butter. Serve
buttered bread on a separate plate. Serve with Tartar sauce.
HERRING SALAD: (Sildesalat)
Cooked meat Cold potatoes Red beets 1 sliced onion Salted and smoked
or pickled herring Sour mustard Flour Butter
Place the the meat, potatoes, red beets, onion and well soaked
herring on a chopping board together with the mustard and dice until
the whole thing has become a mushy mass. If it is too dry and won't
stick together add a little vinegar from the red beets, and flavor
with sugar.
This procedure makes the "fine herring salad" usually made by the
Danish housewife for everyday use. But you can make the salad coarse
too by cutting (instead of dicing) the different ingredients in a
long narrow strips and blending them with a thick sauce, made of 2
tablespoons butter and 4 cups flour cooked together and diluted with
water or stock. Flavor the sauce with vinegar from the red beets,
sugar and mustard to taste, and, if necessary, add a few drops of
coloring until you get a beautiful red shade.
Spread the bread with the herring salad and decorate with slices of
hard boiled egg, if you don't prefer topping it with a fried egg.
From "Danish Cookery" by Suzanne, Andr. Fred. Host & Son, Copenhagen,
1957.
