In the Swedish culinary world, the word röra means mix. Most commonly it refers to a creamy fish mixture used for topping open sandwiches. Skagenröra, using small prawns, is the most popular version, paying homage to the seaside region of Skagen in north-west Denmark where seafood is abundant and brought to shore daily, but the concept can be applied to any seafood. The other famous combination is gubbröra, which is made from diced pickled herring, red onion, chives and crème fraîche. This is then spooned on top of half a hard-boiled egg, served on an open sandwich or with crispbreads.
The only real rule is that dill and something creamy is used to bind the ingredients. In new Nordic cooking, crème fraîche or sour cream is most commonly used to provide creaminess, but it is sometimes mixed with mayonnaise. Experiment with your own combinations of ingredients: smoked fish with sour cream and lemon juice works a treat. This recipe is for the traditional skagenröra, but served in the new-Nordic style, using lettuce leaf ‘cups’ instead of bread.