In June 2022, Collins Street welcomed Freyja, a two-level restaurant housed in Melbourne’s heritage-listed Olderfleet building. Inside the magnificent 1880s Venetian landmark, Freyja delivers an elevated and approachable dining experience that embraces New Nordic philosophies and focuses on local and seasonal ingredients. The interiors reflect the raw Scandinavian simplicity.
Today, we have a traditional open-faced sandwich served on rye bread from Freyja's Executive Chef Jae Bang. It is a quintessential Nordic dish that can be easily made at home. Toppings, condiments and garnishes can vary depending on the season.
Recipe Ingredients:
150g small green school prawns
100g rice flour
2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp dill sprigs
2 slices dark rye bread, 1.5cm thick
1 tbsp butter.
Brown butter emulsion:
100g butter, chopped
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
100 ml neutral oil eg grapeseed
Sea salt, tabasco and cayenne, to taste
Handful of purple mizuna, mustard greens or baby rocket
Smoked paprika.
Method:
First, make the brown butter. Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring as it melts. Watch carefully until it turns a light nut-brown and smells biscuity (do not burn), then pour immediately into a bowl and leave to cool slightly.
Whisk the egg yolk, mustard and lemon juice until smooth. Gradually add the oil, whisking continually as if making mayonnaise. When the oil has been absorbed, gradually add the brown butter, whisking continually until you have a thick, golden emulsion.
Season with sea salt, Tabasco and a touch of cayenne to taste.
Heat the oil to 180C. Trim the prawns of their whiskers, dry them with a paper towel, and toss to coat evenly in rice flour. Deep-fry the prawns in small batches, drain on paper towel and season with salt.
To assemble the Smørrebrød, lightly toss the chopped hard-boiled egg with 2 tbsp or more of the brown butter emulsion and the dill. Spread the rye bread with butter and fry on both sides until crisp.
Arrange egg salad on the toast and top with deep-fried school prawns. Dust with paprika and garnish with purple mizuna or rocket.
Smørrebrød Definition:
Smørrebrød, also known as smørbrød 'butter bread' or smörgås 'butter goose' is a traditional Nordic open-faced sandwich.
Freyja
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