Skagenröra: Swedish Shrimp Salad
Mayonnaise, dill, horseradish, lemon, and tiny, wonderful Atlantic shrimp come together to make Skagenröra: Swedish Shrimp Salad. While it is incredibly popular all year round, to me it is a summer dish. This recipe comes to me from my friend and former coworker Elias, who has been cook in Sweden for many years.
Skagenröra is named after the northernmost town in Denmark, Skagen, and was created by one of Sweden’s most famous and arguably most important chefs, Tore Wretman.
Swedes eat so much seafood during the summer. The country has a very long coastline, an insane number of islands, and a ridiculous amount of lakes. Seafood is incredibly culturally important. Summer is the time for being out on the boat, swimming, and just generally enjoying the weather. No one wants to eat heavy, stodgy food, so lighter seafood dishes are enjoyed more.
It’s important to use the correct type of shrimp. Don’t use jumbo shrimp or shrimp from the Mediterranean or the Gulf Coast. Those from warmer waters will be too earthy in flavor. North Atlantic shrimp have a clean, sweet, mild flavor that is incredibly delicious.
If you like mayonnaise and seafood, then you are going to love this dish! It is commonly eaten on toast or as the topping for a baked potato. It is also commonly served on a smörgåsbord for the major Swedish holidays: Easter, Midsummer, and Christmas.
Skagenröra: Swedish Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
- 500 g shrimp hand-peeled in brine
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 Tbsp freshly grated horseradish
- 1 dL mayo about ½ US cup
- Freshly chopped dill a LOT
- 1 lemon fresh
- Black pepper freshly ground
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Squeeze out any excess brine from the shrimp. Ideally, the shrimp should have been strained in cheesecloth for 24 hours. They need to be as dry as possible.
- Coarsely chop one-third of the shrimp and put them, and the whole shrimp, in a mixing bowl.
- Add finely cut dill (must be cut with a sharp knife, not chopped) and freshly grated horseradish (grated by forcibly “punching” it on the grater to create long, nice fibers).
- Squeeze some lemon over the mixture.
- Add freshly ground black pepper and the mayo. The mayo can either be bought or homemade; the important thing is that it needs to be as thick as possible. The goal is a Skagen that is creamy and rich but mostly shrimp, not mayo. Start with a little mayo and add more in small increments if needed.
- Mix and balance with Dijon mustard, horseradish, and lemon. It should be spicy but not overwhelming. Add salt to taste.
- Skagen is best when allowed to rest for 24 hours in the fridge before serving.