FANCY TOAST WITH SPRING GREENS, LUMPFISH ROE & BURRATA

Hi, I’m Camilla, a Danish recipe developer, stylist, photographer, and mama to August. I seek beauty in everyday life scenarios and share them through photos and stories for brands and magazines. However, I come from a completely different background. I didn’t study to become a creative. I actually hold a Master’s Degree in Law. But just as I thought I had everything figured out, seasons change. That’s the beauty of life. 

On Lockdown in Denmark

But not only seasons change. Just like the rest of the World, Denmark is currently in COVID-19 lock-down. That means I haven’t left the house except for essential grocery runs the past two weeks. I don’t see anyone; I keep in contact with friends through social media, and August has play dates (of sorts) via Facetime. It really is a new normal. Groups above ten people are not allowed. Social distancing is recommended. All non-essential businesses, including cafés and restaurants, are closed for the foreseeable future. 

Luckily, we’re still allowed to go out for walks and fresh air. As spring is full-on by now, we grabbed a basket and went foraging for wild garlic in the neighboring forest. These days I find myself seeking the things I can’t live without: the simple, the good, the nourishing. The recipe I’m sharing today is no exception. It combines everything I love these days: toast, lumpfish roe, spring greens, and burrata. It’s fancy, but it’s low-key fancy. I think I could eat it all day every day if I had my way. 

Foraging for Local Wild Garlic 

Wild garlic (allium ursinum) is also known as ramsons, and they grow wild in the forests here. They’re not to be mistaken with the poisonous lily of the valley. Grinding the leaves between the fingers and checking for a garlic-like smell can be helpful. The possibilities of wild garlic are endless.

A good place to start is to use them where you would usually use leeks and garlic. They go well in fresh salads, or cooked on top of pizzas, in soups and stews, or as a substitute for basil in pesto Genovese, which I’m sharing a recipe for below. I use a mortar and a pestle as tradition dictates. It can be substituted for a food processor, but you won’t get the same silky and creamy texture.

Keep Supporting Your Local Economy

I hope that we get through this coronavirus conundrum healthy and safe. To me, that, of course, means staying fit psychically as well as mentally. But I also care about our local community: the baker who makes beautiful sourdough bread, the little fish market in the corner building on the harbor, and the Italian specialty joint where I get my dose of burrata. These days the local entrepreneurs suffer economically and are looking for new ways to survive.

With this recipe, I want to take you to the forest and forage fresh greens, but also a trip to your local baker and any other local place you love and can’t live without. It’s important to support what we love in a safe way so that when we get through to the other side, we’ll still see the city we love, including all the small businesses we can’t live without. So spread the love, eat this toast, and stay safe and healthy!

P.S. The recipe for pesto makes enough for several toasts and even as topping on a salad. The toast recipe is for one serving but can be easily doubled as soon as you’re allowed to invite all your friends over again. Oh, I can’t wait for that!