Ingredients
Fish
- 2plaice fillets, for frying
- 2plaice fillets, for steaming
- 1egg, beaten
- 60 gfine breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoonsplain flour
- salt and white pepper
To cook
- 50 gbutter
- 1 tablespoonoil
- 100 mldry white wine or fish stock, for steaming
To build
- 2thick slices of white bread
- butter, for spreading
- 200 gcooked cold-water shrimp, peeled
- 6spears cooked asparagus
- 4 tablespoonsgood mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoonslumpfish roe or caviar
- lemon wedges
- fresh dill
Directions
- Season two fillets lightly with salt and white pepper. Fold each one loosely in half, skinned side inward. Lay them in a wide pan with the wine or stock. Bring the liquid to a bare tremble, never to a boil.
- Cover the pan and let them steam for four minutes. The flesh should just turn opaque and flake at a touch. Lift them out carefully and let them cool a little. Season the remaining two fillets on both sides. Set out three plates with flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs.
- Turn each fillet through the flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the beaten egg and let the surplus drip away. Press it firmly into the breadcrumbs on both sides. Press the crumbs on well so they stay put in the pan. Let the breaded fillets rest for ten minutes before frying. Resting helps the coating stick during cooking.
- Heat the butter and oil together in a heavy frying pan. The oil stops the butter burning at frying temperature. Wait until the butter has stopped foaming before you start. Lay the fillets in and fry them for three minutes.
- Turn them once and fry the other side for two minutes. They should be deep golden and crisp all over. Drain them briefly on kitchen paper. Preparing the bread is done at the last moment. Cut thick slices of good white bread. Toast them lightly, or leave them untoasted as some places do. Butter them right to the edges, which is the Danish habit.
- Butter also stops the bread going soggy under the fish. Lay one steamed fillet on one half of each slice. Lay one fried fillet alongside it on the other half. Spoon mayonnaise in a line down the middle. Pile cooked shrimp generously over the mayonnaise. Cold-water shrimp are sweeter and much smaller than tropical ones.
- Lay the asparagus spears across the top of the pile. Spoon the roe over the shrimp in a bright line. Set a lemon wedge on the side of the plate. Serving it is done immediately while the fried fillet is crisp.
Technique
- Smorrebrod is the Danish open sandwich tradition, and stjerneskud sits at the elaborate end of it.
- The name refers to the extravagance of the finished plate rather than to any particular ingredient.
Substitutions
- Lemon sole, dab or witch flounder all work in place of plaice.
- Lumpfish roe is the everyday choice and stands in for more expensive caviar without apology.
Variations
- Some restaurants add a slice of tomato or a scattering of grated horseradish.
- Others dress the shrimp in a light dill cream instead of plain mayonnaise.
- A simpler version leaves out the steamed fillet and uses only the fried one.
History
A shooting star sandwich built on the flatfish of Danish waters; it became the showpiece of twentieth-century smørrebrød restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
What is Stjerneskud?
Stjerneskud is a main from Denmark: open sandwich of fried and steamed plaice with shrimp, asparagus and caviar. A shooting star sandwich built on the flatfish of Danish waters; it became the showpiece of twentieth-century smørrebrød restaurants.
How long does Stjerneskud take to make?
Stjerneskud takes 20 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 2. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Stjerneskud?
Yes, within limits. Lemon sole, dab or witch flounder all work in place of plaice. Lumpfish roe is the everyday choice and stands in for more expensive caviar without apology.
What is the most important thing to get right in Stjerneskud?
Season two fillets lightly with salt and white pepper. Fold each one loosely in half, skinned side inward. Lay them in a wide pan with the wine or stock. Bring the liquid to a bare tremble, never to a boil.
