Smørrebrød

Open-faced Danish sandwiches layered with silky smoked salmon, rich liver pâté, and quality ham atop dark rye bread—each bite combines creamy, salty, and smoky flavors with satisfying texture. These beautifully composed smørrebrød are as much about artful presentation as they are about Nordic simplicity and quality ingredients. Perfect for an elegant lunch, special brunch, or when you want to impress without fussy cooking.

Ingredients

8 slices dense rye bread (pumpernickel or dark rye), about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick

4 tablespoons (60 ml) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 tablespoons (45 ml) mayonnaise

2 tablespoons (30 ml) remoulade sauce

6 ounces (170 grams) smoked salmon, thinly sliced

4 ounces (115 grams) Danish or quality ham, thinly sliced

2 ounces (55 grams) liver pâté

3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced

1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

2 cups (100 grams) fresh leaf lettuce or butter lettuce

2 ounces (55 grams) shrimp, cooked and peeled

4 slices aged cheddar cheese or Danish cheese

2 tablespoons (8 grams) fresh dill, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon (3 grams) fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Pat the rye bread slices completely dry with paper towels and lay them flat on a clean work surface.

Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter across each slice of rye bread, covering it completely to prevent sogginess—this layer should be about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.

For the first two open-faced sandwiches, spread 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of mayonnaise over the buttered bread, then arrange smoked salmon in slightly overlapping layers and top with thinly sliced red onion and fresh dill.

For the next two sandwiches, spread remoulade sauce over the butter and layer the ham, then arrange cheese slices on top, followed by overlapping cucumber slices, and finish with chopped parsley.

For the remaining sandwiches, spread liver pâté thinly over the buttered bread, then arrange hard-boiled egg slices in an overlapping pattern and garnish with salt, pepper, and fresh dill.

On the final two pieces of bread, spread mayonnaise and arrange the cooked shrimp in a circular pattern, placing a small lettuce leaf underneath each shrimp for color and texture contrast.

Arrange all prepared smørrebrød on a serving platter or individual plates, ensuring each sandwich displays its toppings prominently and is immediately ready to eat.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side and encourage diners to eat with knife and fork, cutting each sandwich into quarters.