Cheese smørrebrød - four ways

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Cheese X 4

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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.

Recipes and photographs taken from Open Sandwiches by Trine Hahnemann, photography by Columbus Leth. (Quadrille, £12.99).
Cheese X 4
Recipes and photographs taken from Open Sandwiches by Trine Hahnemann, photography by Columbus Leth. (Quadrille, £12.99).

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