Nordic smørrebrød with asparagus and horseradish cream

To make the horseradish cream, mix the crème fraîche, grated horseradish, lemon juice, salt and white pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate until serving.

To make the crispy shallots, heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and fry until golden brown and crispy.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Season with a pinch of salt.

To make the open sandwich, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then blanch half of the asparagus (four white and four green) until tender-crisp, about 2–3 minutes.

Add ice to a bowl of cold water. Use a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus from the boiling water and immediately transfer to the iced water to stop cooking. Thinly slice the remaining asparagus lengthwise to serve raw.