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Cheese smørrebrød - four ways
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Cheddar and rhubarb
- 4 slices sourdough bread, buttered
- 12 slices cheddar cheese
- 4tbsp rhubarb compote (see recipe, below)
- 4tsp cress
For the rhubarb compote
- 1kg rhubarb
- juice 1⁄2 lemon
- 300g caster sugar, plus more to taste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 30g ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- seeds from 5 cardamom pods
Sheep's cheese and quince
- 4 slices of rye bread, buttered
- 12 slices hard sheep’s cheese
- 12 slices quince paste
- 1 sprig dill or chervil
Cream cheese and redcurrant
- 4 slices sourdough bread, buttered
- 100g cream cheese
- 4tbsp shaken redcurrants (see recipe, below)
- 4tsp sorrel, microherbs or cress
For the shaken redcurrants
- 300g redcurrants
- 200g caster sugar
Blue cheese and pear
- 1 pear
- 2tsp salted butter
- 1tbsp clear honey
- 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
- 4 slices rye bread
- 200g Danish blue cheese, sliced
Method
CHEDDAR AND RHUBARB
Top the buttered sourdough
bread with the slices of cheese,
then dollop each with 1tbsp of
the rhubarb. Finally, sprinkle
with the cress.
For the rhubarb compote
Trim and rinse the rhubarb
stalks, then cut them into 2cm
pieces. Mix them with all the
other ingredients and 1tsp sea
salt flakes in a saucepan, then
bring to the boil over a medium
heat. Leave to simmer gently until
the sugar has dissolved and the
rhubarb is almost tender, around
10 minutes. Season to taste with
sugar. Remove the rhubarb from
the liquid using a slotted spoon.
Let cool before serving. This will
keep in the fridge for a few days.
SHEEP'S CHEESE AND QUINCE
Top the buttered rye bread with the slices of cheese, then the quince paste slices. Finish off with the dill or chervil.
CREAM CHEESE AND REDCURRANT
Evenly spread the buttered sourdough bread with the cream cheese, then top with the redcurrants, and garnish with the sorrel, microherbs or cress.
For the shaken redcurrants
Rinse the redcurrants in cold water and drain well. Spread them out on a large tray and sprinkle with the sugar. Shake the tray, and then leave until the sugar has dissolved, shaking occasionally.
BLUE CHEESE AND PEAR
Cut the pear into wedges,
leaving the stalk on and core in,
if possible (it looks good). Melt
the butter in a frying pan, then
fry the pears for a few minutes
on each side. Add the honey
and vanilla and turn gently. Turn
off the heat and leave to cool in
the pan. Toast the rye bread,
then top with the blue cheese.
Finish with the wedges of pear.
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