Every so often you get a dish that picks you up and takes you away from where you are. For me, it probably happens more often than it should. One minute I’m casually watching what kind of nonsense Jerry and George are getting into on the tv, and suddenly I’m transported seaside to a nordic fishing village overwhelmed by the sound of delicate waves. That is the magic of eating a spread of carrot lox over a fatty open-faced danish sandwich sprinkled in fresh dill. It’s not just eating a sandwich, it’s getting lost on a rickety pier starring out at the misty North Sea while watching the ships roll in.
What is a Smørrebrød Sandwich?
There is one sole reason I make lox. The superior open-faced sandwich of the world. A sandwich that shamefully so many people have simply never heard of. The most artistic and aesthetically pleasing work of art in all of northern Europe. I’m being slightly dramatic, but it’s because I’ve fallen in love with these little works of art. It is the Smørrebrød. A smørrebrød is a danish sandwich that literally translates to bread and butter. I’d like to take a brief intermission for you to google some pictures of this dish.
Creative Structure of a Smørrebrød
One of the most freeing parts about this open-faced smørrebrød sandwich is that no two look the same. Each layer allows you the freedom to be creative with this dish, and there are options all along the way. The structure consists of a dark rye bread, spread with a fatty butter or cream cheese of sorts. Traditionally you add some cold cuts of meat or fish, and then serve it with an array of toppings local to the area. These little works of art are always served cold and eaten with a knife and fork. Smørrebrød is local to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden- with Denmark collecting the most recognition for its origin. And so fun- you can dress them for the season! For me, one of the biggest nonnegotiables is fresh dill. Some of my other favorite toppings include…
- Fresh Dill
- Capers
- Red Onion (Pickled or fresh, but pickled is SUCH a vibe)
- Thinly sliced cucumbers
- Lemon
- Radish (Pickled or fresh)
- Tomato
- Asparagus
- ANYTHING PICKLED… I MEAN ANYTHING PICKLED!!
What is Carrot Lox?
My filling of choice for this vegan smørrebrød is carrot lox. Lox is essentially brined salmon. To create this vegan version I want to preserve that rustic fresh fish look. To do that I leave my carrot peels on before I bake them. I have tried numerous ways to make carrot lox over the years. I used to always slice or ribbon my carrots before baking them. However, I have recently started baking my carrots whole and then slicing them after and I will never go back. Roasting the carrots whole traps more flavor, allows a great char on the skin, and when you go to slice them- it’s more rustic and less pretty.
How to Cook Carrot Lox
After baking the whole carrots on 450 degrees for 45 minutes (or until they pierce with a fork), thinly and roughly slice them into pieces. Marinate them with some seaweed flakes, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and liquid smoke for about 20 minutes or overnight. Maybe next time I’ll even throw in a dash of lemon juice… because that just feels right. So much of cooking is just making it up as you go. Maybe thats life as well. We get so caught up in setting these imaginary rules with cooking, and honestly so much is just following that intuition. So when you’re making these dishes, just remember that everything listed in the ingredients and quantities are just suggestions. Perhaps I used only used 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and maybe you’ll use 4 tablespoons. Guess what? It’s still going to be carrot lox… and my dear, you are still going to make a bomb smørrebrød.
Miyoko’s Fish-Free Lox Vegan Cream Cheese
I am a self-proclaimed Miyoko superfan. If you follow my instagram, you’ve probably seen me shamelessly fangirl over this brand the last few months. From her mozzarella blocks to her cream cheese spreads- it’s all magic. Miyoko Schinner is the founder- a chef, cookbook author, animal sanctuary founder. I’m continuously in awe by her vision to provide cruelty-free high level cheese products to the market.
This Fish-Free Lox Vegan Cream Cheese is a light pink spread that has hints of that fishy flavor that compliments a smørrebrød so effortlessly. Even if you aren’t going to make the danish sandwich, this spread is great on its own with a toasted everything bagel. I have also used it to stuff jalapeños and bake them! When I find a product that I like, I’m most likely going to wander around Chicago looking for some rooftop to scream about it from. That’s what I plan on doing about Miyoko. It’s that good.
If you’re looking to level up your sandwich game, this dish is going to give you so much creative bandwidth. Cheers and happy travels! I mean cooking *winky face*
“It’s later in life that we gain the clarity that we can actually succeed.”
Miyoko Schinner
