Makes 24
In Sweden, raksmorgas, toasted bread topped with mayonnaise and piled high with shrimp, is a popular snack. Here, it’s miniaturized into a cocktail-size bite with zippy horseradish butter as the base with shrimp, hard-cooked egg, cucumber, arugula, and dill. You can buy thinly sliced, dense rye or pumpernickel bread in a brick-shape loaf at many specialty markets; Mestemacher is one popular brand. Be sure the jar of horseradish is fresh; the flavor deteriorates within a few weeks after opening. Buy shrimp already cooked and this hors d’oeuvre comes together quickly.
| 4 | eggs |
|---|---|
| ½ | cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 2 | tablespoons drained prepared white horseradish in brine, or more to taste |
| 1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
| 1 | teaspoon finely grated lemon rind |
| 1 | tablespoon lemon juice |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 8 | slices dense rye or pumpernickel bread |
| ½ | English cucumber, thinly sliced |
| 1 | handful fresh arugula |
| 24 | large cooked, peeled shrimp (about 1¼ pounds) sliced in half lengthwise |
| 3 | sprigs fresh dill, snipped with scissors |
| ¼ | cup capers, drained |
| Lemon wedges (for serving) |
1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the eggs and cook them for exactly 10 minutes. Transfer to cold water and crack the shells with the back of a spoon. Remove a strip of shell and let the cold water run until the eggs are cold. Peel them, dry on paper towels, and slice.
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2. In a small bowl, mash together the butter, horseradish, mustard, lemon rind, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more horseradish, if you like.
3. Set the bread on a cutting board and spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of the butter. Top with cucumber and arugula. Place 3 egg slices in a line on top, and set 2 shrimp halves on each slice of egg. Cut each slice of bread into 3 pieces and garnish with capers and dill. Serve with lemon.
Sally Pasley Vargas can be reached at sally.p.vargas@gmail.com.