Smørrebrød with fish cakes, remoulade and pickled cucumber salad

Ingredients

For the mayonnaise

• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 250ml/9fl oz flavourless oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cucumber salad

• 250ml/9fl oz white wine vinegar
• 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• pinch sea salt

For the remoulade

• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ shallot, grated
• 120g/4½oz celery, finely chopped
• ½ cucumber, deseeded and finely chopped
• 50ml/2fl oz homemade mayonnaise, from above
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• pinch caster sugar
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the fish cakes

• 400g/14oz cod fillet or another white fish, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, grated
• 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon leaves
• 2 tbsp capers, finely chopped
• 5 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 100ml/3½fl oz sparkling water
• 2–3 tbsp salted butter

To serve

• 4 slices rye bread
• 80g/2½oz salted butter
• 4 sprigs of fresh dill

Method

1. To make the mayonnaise, mix the egg yolks, mustard and lemon juice together in a bowl then gradually whisk in half of the oil, whisking constantly, until thick and emulsified. Gradually add the rest of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the cucumber salad, whisk the vinegar with 50ml/2fl oz water, the sugar and salt and add the cucumbers, pushing them down to ensure they are covered in pickling liquor. Leave to pickle for at least 30 minutes.
3. To make the remoulade, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the carrots for 2 minutes, then drain and cool. Place the cooled carrots in a bowl with the shallots, celery and cucumber.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, curry powder, turmeric, mustard powder, lemon juice and caster sugar together in a separate large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the carrot mixture and stir well to coat.
5. To make the fishcakes, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put the fish in a bowl with the onion, eggs, nutmeg, dill, tarragon and capers. Fold the ingredients together gently, then add the flour, salt and pepper and fold again. Mix in the sparkling water.
6. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Form the fishcake mixture into 8 oval balls with a spoon and your hand. Place them gently in the butter and fry for 7–8 minutes on each side. Put them in a baking tray and finish in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. To serve, spread some butter on each slice of the rye bread. Cut each fishcake in half and place four pieces on each piece of bread. Top with a tablespoon of remoulade, a tablespoon of cucumber salad and a sprig of dill. Season with salt and pepper and serve.