Toast Skagen

About This Recipe

Toast Skagen is one of Sweden's most iconic dishes — a celebration of the country's love of seafood that has graced restaurant menus and home dinner parties since the 1950s. Created by restaurateur Tore Wretman, it was named after the fishing village of Skagen on the northern tip of Denmark, famous for its shrimp. The preparation is simple but the result is sophisticated: tiny, sweet Nordic shrimps are bound in a light mixture of mayonnaise, crème fraîche and fresh dill, then piled generously onto a crisp, buttery fried toast. Traditionally finished with a spoonful of löjrom (bleak roe), the slight pop of the roe against the creamy shrimp is a defining textural pleasure of Scandinavian cuisine.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gcooked peeled small shrimps(Nordic or cold-water prawns)
• 3 tablespoonsmayonnaise
• 3 tablespoonscrème fraîche
• 1 small bunchfresh dill(finely chopped)
• 1lemon(juice only)
• 1 teaspoonDijon mustard
• 0.5 teaspoonwhite pepper
• 4 slicessourdough or white bread(thickly sliced)
• 40 gbutter
• 4 tablespoonsbleak roe (löjrom) or salmon roe(to finish)
• 4 small sprigsfresh dill(to garnish)
• 0.5lemon(cut into wedges, to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the shrimp mixture

   Drain shrimps very thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Mix mayonnaise, crème fraîche, dill, lemon juice, mustard and white pepper. Fold in shrimps gently. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

   Thoroughly draining the shrimps is essential — excess water will make the filling watery.

2. 2

   Fry the toast

   Melt butter in a pan over medium heat until foaming. Fry bread slices for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy. The bread should be buttery and crunchy, not just toasted.

3. 3

   Assemble and serve

   Pile the shrimp mixture generously onto each toast. Top with a small spoonful of roe. Garnish with a dill sprig. Serve immediately with a lemon wedge.

Variations

• •

  Add a teaspoon of grated horseradish to the mixture for heat.

• •

  Some restaurants serve it as blinis instead of toast.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

The shrimp mixture can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Do not assemble until ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions