flipSmørrebrød with pickled herring and red onion
Smørrebrød with pickled herring and red onion
Why this dish? Von Trier eats "Danish style," simple and without fuss. The herring smørrebrød is the everyday lunch of all Copenhagen, the one you swallow between editing sequences at Filmbyen, the film city in Avedøre.
A slice of dense rye bread, buttered, topped with glossy pickled herring, red onion rings, a hard-boiled egg, and dill. The quintessential Danish open sandwich: cold, straightforward, tangy.
You were expecting a tortured feast? Sorry to disappoint, it's just herring on black bread. Here we don't disguise anything: the fish shines in its own brine, the onion stings, the rye reminds you it's been fermenting longer than you have. I eat this standing up between takes, no ceremony—beauty, like depression, needs no decor. Bite, chew, and stop looking for hidden meaning.
- •Sourdough rye bread (rugbrød) — 1 thick slice (base)
- •Pickled herring in vinegar — 2 fillets (main topping)
- •Red onion — a few thin rings (bite)
- •Hard-boiled egg — 1/2 (roundness)
- •Butter — a knob (binder)
- •Fresh dill — a few sprigs (freshness)
Smørrebrød with pickled herring and red onion
A slice of dense rye bread, buttered, topped with glossy pickled herring, red onion rings, a hard-boiled egg, and dill. The quintessential Danish open sandwich: cold, straightforward, tangy.
Why this dish? Von Trier eats "Danish style," simple and without fuss. The herring smørrebrød is the everyday lunch of all Copenhagen, the one you swallow between editing sequences at Filmbyen, the film city in Avedøre.
You were expecting a tortured feast? Sorry to disappoint, it's just herring on black bread. Here we don't disguise anything: the fish shines in its own brine, the onion stings, the rye reminds you it's been fermenting longer than you have. I eat this standing up between takes, no ceremony—beauty, like depression, needs no decor. Bite, chew, and stop looking for hidden meaning.
Ingredients (period version)
- Sourdough rye bread (rugbrød) — 1 thick slice (base)
- Pickled herring in vinegar — 2 fillets (main topping)
- Red onion — a few thin rings (bite)
- Hard-boiled egg — 1/2 (roundness)
- Butter — a knob (binder)
- Fresh dill — a few sprigs (freshness)
Ingredients
- Dense wholemeal rye bread — 2 slices (base)
- Pickled herring fillets (jar) — 4 fillets (main topping)
- Red onion — 1/2, thinly sliced (bite)
- Hard-boiled eggs — 1 (roundness)
- Salted butter — 20 g (binder)
- Fresh dill — 1 small bunch (freshness)
Method
- Butter the rye bread slices generously, right to the edges.
- Drain the herring fillets and arrange them fan-like on the bread.
- Scatter the thin red onion rings over the top.
- Slice the hard-boiled egg and add it.
- Sprinkle with dill and grind some black pepper over. Serve cold, uncovered.
How it was made : Herring, abundant in Nordic waters, was preserved in vinegar and spices to last through winter—a conservation technique that became a national dish. On rugbrød, it has been the first smørrebrød of a Danish lunch since the 19th century.
The contemporary twist : A spoonful of sour cream with capers to soften the vinegar edge, and a drizzle of Danish roasted rapeseed oil.
Sources : Trine Hahnemann, Scandinavian Comfort Food (2016) · Trine Hahnemann, The Nordic Kitchen (2015)
Lars von Trier · Charactorium
