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RECIPE: How to make a Swedish prawn sandwich

The Local Sweden
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RECIPE: How to make a Swedish prawn sandwich
Prawn sandwich. Photo: Björn Larsson Rosvall / TT

In only 25 minutes you can make yourself this delicious prawn sandwich, called 'räksmörgås'. Food writer John Duxbury shares his favourite recipe.

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Summary

Serves: 4

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 15 minutes

Tips

- Buy the best prawns (shrimps) you can. North Atlantic cold water prawns are best, rather than king prawns. (Swedes insist that hand-shelled prawns are much better, but I usually can’t be bothered shelling them myself!)

- Use good quality bread. I prefer a good rye bread, such as our danskt rågbröd (Danish style rye bread), but many people prefer a good quality toasted white bun.

- Shop bought mayonnaise is fine, but don’t overdo it! I think many räksmögås are spoilt by excessive amounts of mayonnaise.

- I prefer to use just lettuce and tomatoes, but cucumber is often added. Radish, asparagus and avocado are occasionally added.

- Swedes debate whether butter or mayonnaise should be spread on the bread! My vote is for a light coating of mayonnaise.

Ingredients

2 eggs

4 slices of good quality bread

6-8 tbsp mayonnaise

8-12 lettuce leaves

450g (1lb) prawn/shrimps (shelled weight)

1 lemon (some juice and some slices for garnish)

8 small sprigs of dill

4-8 cherry tomatoes

Method

1. Place the eggs in a saucepan of water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes (longer for bigger eggs and a firmer set). Plunge into plenty of cold water. After 1 minute, drain and cover with more cold water. Shell when cold.

2. Spread a light coating of mayonnaise on each slice of bread.

3. Add the lettuce leaves and spread lightly with mayonnaise.

4. Slice the eggs and spread them out on top of the lettuce.

5. Lay the prawns on top of the egg slices.

6. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the prawns and then add a couple of teaspoons of mayonnaise on top of each sandwich.

7. Garnish with dill sprigs, lemon slices and cherry tomatoes.

Recipe courtesy of John Duxbury, founder and editor of Swedish Food.

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