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Vegetarian smørrebrød
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Vegetarian smørrebrød

Open sandwiches

Smørrebrød, 'buttered bread', is Denmark's lunch: a single slice of dense rye bread, buttered right to the edges and piled with toppings so carefully arranged they are eaten with a knife and fork. Copenhagen lunch restaurants such as the old cellar places around Nyhavn serve them in a set order, and at home they make up a Sunday or Christmas lunch table (det kolde bord). Many classics use fish or meat, but three of the best-loved toppings are vegetarian: sliced egg with tomato and cress, waxy new potatoes with crisp onion and chives (kartoffelmad), and peppery radishes on salted butter. Chef's tip: butter the bread thickly and all the way to the crust; in Denmark the butter is the glue that holds the toppings and keeps the rye from going soggy.

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CantucciTwice-baked almond biscuits

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CassouletWhite bean and duck stew

Cassoulet is the great winter feast of the Languedoc, and the towns of Castelnaudary, Carcassonne and Toulouse still argue over who makes it best. Contains pork: white beans cook with pork rind and belly, then bake for hours with duck confit and garlicky Toulouse sausages in a deep earthenware dish until a dark crust forms on top. It takes two days at a relaxed pace and feeds a crowd. Serve with nothing more than a green salad. Chef's tip: break the crust and push it under several times while it bakes; each new crust adds flavour and body.

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