Swedish Pressgurka Cucumber Toasts with Whipped Dill Cheese on Rye

Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you possibly can — a mandoline is ideal. Thickness is the whole difference between pressgurka and an ordinary cucumber salad.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 medium cucumbers, sliced paper-thin
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, cracked
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 8 slices dense dark rye bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper, to finish

Instructions

1. Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you possibly can — a mandoline is ideal. Thickness is the whole difference between pressgurka and an ordinary cucumber salad.
2. Whisk the vinegar, sugar, water, salt and cracked white peppercorns together until the sugar fully dissolves.
3. Toss the cucumber slices in the brine, then press them down under a small plate weighted with a can. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 4.
4. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then whip in the creme fraiche, chopped dill and lemon zest until light and spreadable. Season with a pinch of salt.
5. Butter the rye slices and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side, until the edges crisp and the surface smells nutty.
6. Cut each toast into two or three neat rectangles while still warm and let them cool on a rack so they stay crisp.
7. Lift the cucumbers from the brine and let them drain on a kitchen towel for a minute. Soggy slices will wilt the toast within minutes.
8. Spread each toast generously with the whipped dill cheese and ruffle 3 or 4 cucumber slices on top.
9. Finish with flaky salt, cracked black pepper and a small sprig of dill, and serve within half an hour of assembling.
10. Pressgurka — literally pressed cucumber — is a fixture of the Swedish summer table, served alongside everything from meatballs to fried herring, and the weighted press is what draws out the water so the vinegar can take its place. August is the moment when cucumbers arrive in unmanageable quantities at Nordic markets, and this is the traditional answer. The brine keeps a full week in the fridge, so it is worth making a double batch and eating your way through it.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 245 kcal
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 460mg