Smørrebrød

Smørrebrød is a Danish-style open face sandwich. When I was researching places to eat on our honeymoon, I stumbled upon this word many times. My favorite smørrebrød from our trip was topped with tomato chutney, arugula, and farmer's cheese served with a smokey corn soup.

This week's Food Matters Project recipe is updated tea sandwiches hosted by Aura. I decided to mix it up and make smørrebrød. I made Bittman's wheat bread and piled it high with delicious toppings: yogurt cheese, cucumber, cooked beets, and balsamic glaze. Cooked beets are my new favorite sandwich filling.

Eat with a side salad or bowl of chilled soup for lunch or serve a platter as appetizers at a dinner party.

Yogurt cheese
1 c organic plain yogurt (use low or full fat)
2 tbsp mixed herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill, basil)
freshly ground pepper

Line a strainer with a large piece of cheesecloth. Set over a bowl and add the yogurt. Refrigerate. Let the yogurt drain overnight or up to 24 hours. You want the whey to drain completely from the yogurt, so it's nice and thick.

Remove yogurt from cheesecloth and put into a small bowl. Add the herbs and pepper. Mix well and spread onto the bread.

Balsamic glaze
1/4 c balsamic vinegar

Add vinegar to a saute pan and bring to a simmer. Stir often, cooking for 8-10 minutes. You want the balsamic to thicken and become almost syrupy. Remove from heat and drizzle over top of your sandwich (or anything really).