Beet Cured salmon & egg
A Little Fancy, But Worth It!
Inspired by smørrebrød-style open sandwiches, this dish makes a perfect light lunch, breakfast, or afternoon snack. Yes, it takes a bit of prep and patience, but the result is well worth it. This is a slightly simplified version of what you’ve tried in the shop—without my handmade miso milk bread or secret cream cheese recipe (I have to keep some secrets 😉).
Ingredients
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Beet-Pickled Eggs
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4 eggs
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Beetroot juice (reserved from cooked beetroot)
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250ml cider vinegar
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250ml water
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15g salt
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15g sugar
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1 tsp juniper berries
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1 tsp fennel seeds
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1 tsp mustard seeds
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Beet-Cured Salmon
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2 x 500g fillets fresh salmon
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250g cooked beetroot
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100g coarse salt
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75g sugar
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1 tsp pink peppercorns, toasted
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1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
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1 tsp caraway seeds, toasted
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Assembly
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4 slices of bread (see Chef’s Notes for recommendations)
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200g garlic & herb cream cheese (or more, to taste)
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A few radishes, thinly sliced
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1 lemon
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A touch of maple syrup or sugar
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Salt & black pepper
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Lemon zest (optional, for garnish)
Method
Day 1: Curing & Pickling Prep
Beet-Cured Salmon
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Blend the beetroot – Add the cooked beetroot to a blender, reserving all the juice. Loosen with a splash of water and blitz until smooth.
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Toast the spices (pink peppercorns, fennel, caraway) in a dry pan over medium heat for 1 minute until aromatic. Add them to the blender along with the salt and sugar, then blitz again.
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Prepare the salmon:
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If you have a vacuum sealer, place the two salmon fillets in a bag and pour in the cure mixture. Seal lightly—not too tight, not too loose.
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If using cling film, wrap the fillets in two or three layers with the cure evenly spread over them.
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Place the salmon in a tray and refrigerate for 24 hours
.Beet-Pickled Eggs
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Make the pickling liquid – In a saucepan, combine:
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250ml water
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250ml cider vinegar
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15g salt & 15g sugar
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Juniper berries, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, pink peppercorns
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Reserved beetroot juice
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Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil), just enough to dissolve the salt and sugar. Let cool.
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Meanwhile, soft-boil the eggs:
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Bring a pan of water to a medium boil and cook eggs for 6 minutes.
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Immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
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Once both the eggs and pickling liquid are completely cool:
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For a marbled effect, gently crack the shells but don’t peel before submerging in the liquid.
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For a fully pink egg, peel the eggs before adding to the pickle.
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Refrigerate overnight.
Day 2: Flip & Wait
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Flip the salmon fillets to ensure even curing.
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Leave the eggs in the pickle.
Day 3: Final Prep & Assembly
Salmon
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Remove the salmon from the cure and rinse gently under cold water to remove excess salt and aromatics.
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Pat dry and thinly slice across the fillet at a slight angle, keeping the knife close to the skin.
Quick-Pickled Radish
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Slice radishes as thinly as possible.
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Squeeze over fresh lemon juice, add a touch of salt & maple syrup, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Pickled Eggs
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Remove the eggs from the pickling liquid and slice in half or quarters.
(Note: The pickling liquor can be reused once or twice for another batch of eggs or similar items.)
Assembling the Smørrebrød
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Toast your bread.
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Spread generously with cream cheese.
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Top with salmon, followed by sliced pickled egg.
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Arrange the radishes around the salmon.
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Finish with black pepper & lemon zest.
Chef Notes
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Vacuum sealing the salmon creates a firmer texture, better flavor absorption, and less mess, but it's not essential.
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Bread choice matters – My homemade miso milk bread is ideal, but for store-bought options:
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Best: German rye bread or Irwin’s brown soda bread.
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Avoid: Standard supermarket brioche (too sweet), unless you want a softer contrast.
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Pickling liquid reuse – You can reuse it once or twice for eggs or other veggies like onions or cucumbers.