Nordic smørrebrød with asparagus and horseradish cream

Instructions

1- To make the horseradish cream, mix the crème fraîche, grated horseradish, lemon juice, salt and white pepper in a bowl.

2- Refrigerate until serving.

3- To make the crispy shallots, heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.

4- Add the sliced shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy.

5- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

6- Season with a pinch of salt.

7- To make the open sandwich, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then blanch half of the asparagus (four white and four green) until tender-crisp, about 2–3 minutes.

8- Add ice to a bowl of cold water.

9- Use a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus from the boiling water and immediately transfer to the iced water to stop cooking.

10- Thinly slice the remaining asparagus lengthwise to serve raw.

11- Pre-heat the grill until hot.

12- Spread the rye bread with butter and grill until golden and crisp.

13- To serve, place the grilled bread slices on serving plates.

14- Arrange both the blanched and raw asparagus on the bread.

15- Drizzle with horseradish cream, then sprinkle grated cheese over the top.

16- Garnish with the crispy shallots and some fresh dill to finish.