• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Nordic kitchen stories logo

Nordic Kitchen stories

Inspired by family recipes

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch
    • Cakes
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Festive
    • Fika
    • Fish
    • Foraged Food
    • Gluten-Free
    • Healthy
    • Lunch
    • Main
    • Nordic
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Salads
    • Sharing
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Sourdough Baking
    • Starters
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Bespoke Cakes
  • Workshops
    • Sourdough Workshops
    • Nordic Baking Workshop
    • Pastry – Savoury Tarts
  • Work with me
  • Buy my book
  • About

The Scandinavian Open Sandwich

27th November 2017 by Louise
Open Sandwich with Smoked Mackerel and Pickled Beetroot
Open Sandwich with Smoked Mackerel and Pickled Beetroot & Apple

Open sandwiches (smörgås) are a favourite of mine and also one of the simplest things to create. You don’t need a recipe for them, it’s really just about using your favourite kind of bread and adding the toppings that you’d like to go on it.

Begin by spreading just the right amount of butter on your chosen bread. On the subject of bread, it really has had a bad press of late but we’re not talking about the beige, full of preservatives kind, no a lovely dark rye with pumpkin and sunflower seeds will do the job just nicely. For the topping, in Sweden it is common to use the typical, thinly sliced Swedish cheese, to which you can then add whatever you would like, including things like thinly sliced vegetables or fruit and pickles. There are an infinite number of different variations that you could use.

In my case, I am using a dark rye bread flavoured with caraway.  The topping, a generous mound of cream cheese flavoured with freshly grated horseradish, followed by my home hot smoked mackerel (available to buy at all supermarkets) and then lightly pickled beetroot and apple salad. Topped with the garlic of the north, dill!

Open sandwiches make for a marvellous simple snack or, if you have a couple of them, a satisfying lunch too. They are a really delicious way to have a simple, balanced meal.

Print Recipe

Lightly Pickled Beetroot & Apple Salad

Prep Time20 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Swedish
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Louise

Ingredients

  • 50 mls water
  • 35 g Caster Sugar
  • 50 mls Spirit Vinegar or White wine vinegar
  • 2 Medium Beetroot
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples
  • A Sprinkling of Malden Salt
  • a small handful of Dill

Instructions

  • Peel the beetroot and peel and core the apple, cut them into matchsticks size pieces. Combine the sugar, water, salt and vinegar and pour over the beetroot and apple. Cover and refrigerate for an hour and then serve. Add chopped dill or sprinkle on top.
  • Can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Category: Autumn, Dinner, Lunch, Nordic, Pickling, Preserving, Snacks, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian, WinterTag: apple, beetroot, lunch, nordic, pickled, rye bread, scandinavian, smoked mackerel
Previous Post:Venison CasseroleVenison Casserole with Pickled Chanterelles
Next Post:Pepparkakor – Swedish Ginger Thins

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Two ways to fill your home with that classic Nordi Two ways to fill your home with that classic Nordic Christmas aroma…

I have two pepparkakor recipes on my website — a traditional version and a gluten-free one.

Find both recipes via the link in my bio.

#nordickitchenstories #pepparkakor #gingerbreadcookies #nordicbaking #scandinavianliving #gingerthins #warmspices #scandinavianchristmas #festivetreats #christmasbaking #glutenfreebaking #festivebaking #swedishfood #bakingfromscratch
I’ve been a little quiet on here lately. I’ve I’ve been a little quiet on here lately. I’ve been spending more time with family, baking celebration cakes, and getting everything ready for our Festive Workshop—interspersed with some stunning early-morning walks by the river. Beautiful wreaths and table arrangements were created, and I hope everyone went home with plenty of inspiration for their Christmas entertaining (see stories).

It’s already the second Sunday of Advent, so it’s high time for me to turn my attention to decorating my home and preparing a few festive treats…

#christmasworkshop #festiveworkshop #christmasinspiration #christmasentertaining #wreathmaking #tablescape #celebrationcakes #earlymorningwalks #riverwalks #christmasdecor #festiveseason #winterdays #makersandcreators #nordickitchenstories
Hoar frost everywhere this morning – the prettiest Hoar frost everywhere this morning - the prettiest kind of cold, don’t you think?

#hoarfrost #frostymorning #wintermagic #winterwonder #frostyweather #coldmorning #winterdays #naturelovers #morningvibes #frostednature #winterscenery
Last few places remaining for our Christmas worksh Last few places remaining for our Christmas workshops. 5th and 6th December.
 
The day includes making a Christmas wreath or table arrangement, festive cookery demos and a delicious lunch.  It’s a perfect way to start the festive season! 
 
📌See link in bio for more details
 
 
#creativechristmas#thingstodoatchristmas#christmasprep#festivecanapes #learnsomethingneweveryday#festivedecor#decorateforchristmas #seasonaleating #creativeclasses#thingstodoinberks#festiveactivities#nordickitchenstories #cookham#marlow#maidenhead#flowerfarming #nordickitchenstories #flowerfieldscookham
Last week was a busy one — I’ve been making th Last week was a busy one — I’ve been making the most of the wild mushrooms while they’re still around.

1. Buttery sautéed chanterelles with poached egg and sourdough crumbs
2. A blackberry and bay celebration cake — I adore these autumn flavours
3. Incredible seasonal colours
4. A coconut and raspberry cake
5. And a warming wild mushroom soup

I finished the week on such a happy note — a lovely Friday morning teaching how to make sourdough. 

How did your week go?

#seasonaleating #autumnkitchen #wildmushrooms #sourdoughlove #foodwriter #bakingjoy #celebrationcake #foragedflavours #autumnvibes #homecooking #slowfood #nordickitchenstories
Here’s the promised new bun shaping technique… Here’s the promised new bun shaping technique…

Just follow the Cardamom Bun recipe from my book, then shape them this way — it’s easier than it looks!

You can also use this technique for:

~ Nordic cinnamon
~ Chocolate tahini
~ Blueberry & cream cheese
~ Pistachio, lime & rose
~ Hazelnut butter & date
~ Tosca
~ Festive
~ Saffron, almond & orange

Pretty swirled buns every time. 

Recipe from ’Buns, Sweet and Simple Bakes’. 

📌Link in bio to purchase.

@quadrillebooks 

💛 #BunsSweetandSimple #nordicbaking #CardamomBuns #BunShaping #bakefeed #bakedfromscratch #nordickitchenstories
Nordic kitchen stories logo

Sign up to receive my latest recipes by email

Copyright © 2025 · Louise Hurst · Privacy Policy · All Rights Reserved · Website by Callia Web