AI-generated image
Sol over Gudhjem
Sol over Gudhjem: Bornholm smoked herring on rye with chives, radish and an egg-yolk sun
Sol over Gudhjem, 'sun over Gudhjem', is the famous smørrebrød of Bornholm, the Danish island in the Baltic, where smokehouses in Gudhjem and Svaneke still smoke herring over alder wood: a slice of dark rye spread with butter, topped with a skinned, boned smoked herring, chopped chives and radishes, and a raw egg yolk in the middle as the 'sun'. Raw egg yolk is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system; this recipe uses pasteurised eggs, and the yolk can be swapped for a soft-boiled one. A common mistake is leaving the herring bones in; pick them out carefully. Chef's tip: set the yolk in a ring of raw onion so it stays put.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the smørrebrød
- 4 slices dark rye bread
- ⅔ oz butter
- 4 hot-smoked herringskinned and boned
- ⅓ oz fresh chiveschopped
- 6 radishesfinely sliced
- 4 rings red onion
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Butter 4 slices dark rye bread with ⅔ oz butter.
Step 2: Lay the 4 hot-smoked herring fillets on top, picking out any bones. Common mistake: leaving bones in.
Step 3: Set a ring of 4 rings red onion on each and slip a yolk from 4 pasteurised egg yolks into the middle.
Step 4: Scatter with ⅓ oz fresh chives, 6 radishes and 1 pinch flaky sea salt and serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sol over Gudhjem take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Singapore chilli crab
Chilli crab was first sold from a pushcart on the Kallang river in the 1950s and is now the dish visitors queue for along Singapore's East Coast seafood strip. Big mud crabs are cut up, wok-fried and simmered in a thick, sweet, tangy and gently hot sauce of chilli, tomato and garlic, which is then silked with beaten egg. Everyone eats with their hands and mops up the sauce with fried or steamed mantou buns. It is a weekend or celebration meal, messy and loud. Buy crabs live or freshly cooked the same day from a fishmonger you trust. Discard any live crab that doesn't move, smells of ammonia or has a cracked, leaking shell. The common mistake is boiling the sauce after adding the egg, which scrambles it into lumps; pour it in a thin stream over a low heat. Chef's tip: ask the fishmonger to clean and quarter the crab for you, and crack each claw lightly with the back of a cleaver so the sauce soaks in.
Lussekatter
Before dawn on 13 December, Lucia Day, children in white gowns walk through Swedish homes, schools and offices carrying candles and trays of lussekatter: golden saffron buns twisted into an S with a raisin in each curl. The saffron colour and the light are meant to chase away the darkest days of winter. A common mistake is adding the saffron dry, which leaves the buns pale and streaky. Chef's tip: grind the saffron with a sugar cube and melt it into the warm butter and milk, so the colour spreads evenly.
Tunisian octopus salad
Fishermen of the Kerkennah islands, off Sfax, still catch octopus in clay pots laid on the shallow seabed, and in winter the season's catch turns up in harbour cafés and home kitchens as this simple salad. The octopus is simmered slowly until tender, cooled in its broth, then sliced and tossed with red onion, plenty of parsley, lemon juice and good olive oil, with a little harissa if you like. It is light, clean and briny, eaten as a starter with bread or on a summer table of salads and grilled fish. Buy octopus from a reputable fishmonger; frozen and thawed octopus is often more tender than fresh. A common mistake is boiling the octopus at a rolling boil, which makes it rubbery; keep it at a gentle simmer until a knife slides in easily. Chef's tip: let the cooked octopus cool in its cooking liquid for 20 minutes before slicing; it stays juicy rather than tightening up.




