Stjerneskud
(styern-eh-skood)
Matpakke & Smørrebrød (The Rhythms of the Nordic Day)
Invented in 1962 to honor a visiting Soviet cosmonaut, the Stjerneskud—or "Shooting Star"—is the undisputed heavyweight champion of Danish open-faced sandwiches. For a first-generation kid chasing the sensory memory of a Copenhagen café, this is the ultimate prize. It is visually spectacular and texturally brilliant, built entirely on the contrast between a hot, crispy fried fish fillet and a tender, gently steamed one. There is no need to chase down obscure mail-order imports to make it work. Standard supermarket flounder, properly treated cold-water shrimp, and jarred white asparagus do the job perfectly. It is an unpretentious, passed-down masterpiece that turns a few humble ingredients into an absolute showstopper.
Before you start
Thaw and thoroughly dry the shrimp.
Watery shrimp will quickly dilute the dressing and ruin the architecture of the sandwich. Pat them completely dry with paper towels before assembling.
Ingredients
- sour cream1/2 cup
- mayonnaise1/4 cup
- ketchup1 tbsp
- fresh lemon juice1 tsp
- sweet paprika1/2 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce1/4 tsp
- flounder fillets8 med
- dry white wine2 tbsp
- unsalted butter5 tbsp
- all-purpose flour1/4 cup
- large egg1 large
- plain breadcrumbs1 cup
- canola oil1 tbsp
- thick-sliced white bread4 large
- butter lettuce leaves4 large
- small cold-water pink shrimp6 oz
- jarred white asparagus spears8 med
- smoked salmon slices4 med
- lumpfish caviar2 tbsp
- lemon1 med
- fresh dill sprigs1/4 cup
- salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the paprika bloom and the flavors meld into a proper skaldyrsdressing.
- 02
Fold four of the seasoned flounder fillets in half crosswise and place them in a small baking dish with the white wine and a tablespoon of butter.
Folding the thin flatfish effectively doubles its thickness, ensuring it cooks gently without seizing or drying out. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes until just opaque, then keep warm.
- 03
Dredge the remaining four fillets in flour, dip them in the beaten egg, and coat them entirely in breadcrumbs.
Heat two tablespoons of butter and the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. The oil raises the smoke point, preventing the butter from burning. Fry the breaded fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 04
Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining butter, and fry the bread slices until golden and crisp.
Do not use a toaster; pan-frying creates a buttery seal that stops the dressing and fish juices from immediately turning the bread soggy.
- 05
Assemble the sandwich by laying a lettuce leaf on the toast, followed by one hot fried fillet and one warm steamed fillet side-by-side.
Spoon a generous dollop of the pink dressing over the middle to bridge the two types of fish. Pile the cold, dry shrimp on top of the dressing, then arrange two asparagus spears and a slice of smoked salmon on each plate. Crown the shrimp with a small spoonful of caviar, finish with a twisted lemon wedge and a sprig of fresh dill, and serve immediately.
Notes
The secret to perfectly steamed flatfish.
Flatfish fillets are notoriously thin and prone to overcooking. Folding them in half alters the thermodynamics, insulating the interior just long enough to cook perfectly without seizing into rubber.