Toast Skagen (Swedish shrimp toast)

Toast Skagen is a classic Swedish appetizer of creamy shrimp salad on top of buttery toasted bread. It's simple yet elegant and a delicious way to start any meal or to serve as part of an appetizer plate.

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When I was a child we pretty much always had seafood of some kind as out first course for our Christmas meal. As I got slightly older, it became my job to prepare it. Often it was more arranging a simple seafood salad, though other times I might make some smoked salmon and cream cheese pinwheels. 

At the time, I didn't know about this traditional Swedish dish because if I had, I'm sure this would have featured often as it's easy to make but looks that bit fency. And it has a wonderful mix of flavors from the juicy shrimp wrapped in lemon and dill flavored creaminess to the crisp, buttery toast. 

Origins of toast Skagen

This dish is a relatively modern creation, though even then, parts of it's origins are known, while others are less clear. The known part is that the name "Skagen" is after the port town of Skagen in the North of Denmark. And that it was chef Tore Wretman that created it in the 1950s. But the circumstances about how the name of the dish came about, and where, is slightly more debated.

The most popular view is as shared by Tore's wife Ewa. She claimed it was named after Wretman, who was also an avid sailor, created it from ingredients he had on board his boat during a competition off the coast of Denmark. After they lost, he served these bites to his crew to cheer them up. Another story claims it was a more random pointing at the map while making it in his restaurant, Riche. 

Tore Wretman is often credited with elevating Swedish cuisine after WWII, at a time when traditional cuisine was starting to be replaced by foreign fast foods. As well as running a few iconic restaurants in Stockholm, he also appeared on radio and television. He helped promote a new appreciation of Scandinavian flavors, adding refined techniques he had learned in France. This dish is a perfect example.

Variations in the ingredients

Apparently the original dish was simply shrimp (prawns) and mayonnaise on toasted bread. Even the dill and lemon may well have been an addition, though early on in serving it at Riche. Nowadays, both are considered pretty standard and I agree they are both perfect pairings for the core ingredients.

The toasts are usually garnished with some fish roe, dill and small slices of lemon. Kalix roe is the fancy option, often considered classic, but you can use other red or orange roe. Whitefish roe work well, as does tobiko, flying fish roe.

Beyond that, you can find a few variations. Some add a little horseradish, others some Dijon mustard. Some versions use creme fraiche instead of or as well as lemon, and some include a little finely diced red onion or shallot.

Here, I have kept things simple and broadly in line with the classic. I added just a touch of Dijon as it helps brighten the flavor just a touch. But otherwise, the topping is simple and easy to put together.

Sourcing fish roe can be a little tricky, though you can find it in some supermarkets, as well as fish markets. You may find it in markets that sell sushi as it can be used for that, too. If it's not available, you can skip, though it does add a lovely pop of color. Not to mention, a nice popping texture as you eat.

Tips for making these toasts

These are relatively simple, but a couple tips will help them turn out well:

• Use a plain, white bread without large holes. Here I used slices of French-style bread and even this was verging on the holes being too big. The reason is the mayonnaise-based dressing can drip through which can be messy. You could use a rye bread, which is of course common in Scandinavian food (and these are similar to smørrebrød), but the flavor can distract from the delicate shrimp and roe.
• Trim crusts and cut in triangles or circles. While you don't have to, cutting the bread makes for more delicate, elegant servings. And removing the crusts avoids any chewy or overly crisp edges. If you have a square loaf, triangles minimize waste. Here I had flatter slices so I went with circles.
• Keep a close eye toasting the bread. It's a fine line between brown and burnt, so watch closely. Also, I recommend adding just part of the butter for the first side, then add more as you turn. This ensures some is soaked in to both sides.
• Chop larger shrimp/prawns in pieces. You can make this with small or larger shrimp, just cut them up if needed to make a more spoonable mixture.
• Add toppings at the last minute. While you can toast the bread and prepare the toppings ahead of time, it's best to only add the toppings right before serving to ensure the bread stays as crisp as possible.

If it suits better, you can prepare the shrimp salad ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours before you need it. You can also toast the bread ahead, though I suggest maybe only an hour at most to keep it in best condition.

Toast Skagen is a lovely Swedish appetizer with bright, fresh and light flavors. It looks elegant, and tastes slightly indulgent, but is also easy to make. It's no wonder it's a Swedish favorite. Try and it may soon be one of yours, too.

Try these other seafood appetizers:

• Baked mussels (another easy dish, with delicious herby crumbs over the mussels)
• Shrimp saganaki (an simple and tasty Greek dish combining shrimp, tomato, feta and a little chili kick)
• Beet cured salmon (a beautifully colored variation on gravlax, perfect as another toast topping)
• Oysters Kilpatrick (a classic Australian way to serve oysters, topped with bacon and a flavorful sauce)
• Plus get more Nordic recipes and appetizer recipes in the archives.

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