This smørrebrød (open-faced rye bread sandwich) with butter-fried plaice fillet, prawns and homemade herb mayonnaise is a true Danish classic – and one of the most loved kinds of smørrebrød.
Crisp, golden plaice combined with juicy prawns, a creamy herb mayo and freshly baked Danish rye bread (rugbrød) is simply a heavenly mouthful.
The herb mayonnaise is easy to make: you blend oil with a large handful of fresh herbs, which gives it a vivid green colour and an intense flavour. There is enough for several servings, and it is also excellent on an egg sandwich on rye or with salmon. Keep it in the fridge, where it will keep well for 3-4 days.
Arrange the crisp plaice fillets on rye bread, top with prawns, herb mayo and plenty of fresh herbs – and enjoy a piece of smørrebrød that is both classic and full of flavour.
Tips for perfect smørrebrød with plaice fillet
Choose your favourite herbs for the herb mayo – try dill, parsley, chives, chervil, tarragon or wild garlic, for example. Remember to rinse and dry them thoroughly.
Fry the plaice fillets in butter – it gives the best flavour.
Serve with plenty of fresh herbs – they add flavour, freshness and a beautiful finish.
Use good-quality prawns – it makes a huge difference to both flavour and texture.
Add a little crisp lettuce underneath, if you like – it gives the smørrebrød extra freshness.
Smørrebrød with butter-fried plaice fillet, prawns and herb mayo
Ingredients
Herb mayo
- 100 ml neutral-tasting oil
- 1 handful fresh herbs, e.g. chives, parsley, tarragon, lovage or similar
- 15 g egg yolk about 1 yolk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt
The fish
- 2 large plaice fillets
- Wholemeal flour
- Paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper
- 50 g butter
To serve
- 2 slices fresh Danish rye bread (rugbrød)
- 100 g prawns cooked and peeled
- 2-3 green asparagus spears
- Fresh herbs
Method
Herb mayo
- Rinse the herbs thoroughly and dry them well.
- Pour the oil into a blender with the herbs and blend on high speed until the oil is completely green.Let it run for a good 4-5 minutes. This warms the oil slightly, so it draws more flavour and colour out of the herbs.
- Put the egg yolk, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a mini chopper or small blender and blend briefly to combine. Then add the oil a little at a time, blending continuously, until all the oil has been used and your mayonnaise has thickened.
- Season the mayonnaise with salt and keep it in the fridge until serving.Transfer it to a piping bag, if you like.
The fish
- Trim the plaice fillets of any bones or stray bits, and halve them if they are very large. Pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- Mix the flour with paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper and turn the plaice fillets in it to coat.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the plaice fillets until golden on both sides.
- Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the green asparagus, leave it to sit for a moment if you like, then cut it into thin strips.
Serving
- Lay the plaice fillets on the rye bread and arrange the prawns on top. Finish with several dollops of herb mayonnaise and the green asparagus, and scatter over plenty of fresh herbs and freshly ground pepper before serving.
Nutrition
Premium
