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).

Kale & avocado salad

Wow time is really flying. I've already had two weeks of classes and I'm learning so much. We made gluten free scones and muffins, bean salads and grain croquettes last week. I'm practicing my knife skills (dicing, chopping, matchsticks, julienne) and will share the proper way to cut an onion soon. Until then, enjoy this delicious kale salad!

I saw this recipe in The Kitchn newsletter several weeks ago, and I've been making a version of it a couple times a week since then. I love this salad because kale doesn't wilt like lettuce, so you can dress it the night before and eat it for lunch the next day. Feel free to add your favorite veggies or whatever you have in the refrigerator. I've made versions with tomatoes, celery, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and leftover beans. It's such an easy and healthy salad to make. What would you add to your salad?

Kale & avocado salad
1 bunch kale
1/2 avocado, diced
1 carrot
1 cucumber
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
juice from half a lime
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp walnut (or olive) oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp parmesan (optional)

Fold the kale leaves and remove the stem with your hands. You can also use your knife to cut the stem out as well. Then thinly slice or tear the kale into bite-sized pieces. Add the avocado pieces and massage into the kale with your hands. This will help break the kale down, making it easier to chew. The avocado should no longer be in pieces, but resemble more of a chunky paste. You can chop the carrot and cucumber or cut into matchsticks. Add the carrot and cucumber to the kale along with the red onion. Mix the lime juice, vinegar and oil together in a small dish with the sea salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and again massage in with your hands. Add parmesan if you'd like. Enjoy immediately or pack for lunch the next day.