Icelandic Raekjusalat paired with a refreshing European white wine is a marvellous pairing! This is one of the most popular seafood salads available in Iceland. Every supermarket carries various versions of this traditional dish and just about every family has their own cherished recipe. I’ve tried several Icelandic Raekjusalat’s and one thing is for sure, this recipe is my favourite!
Prepping the Ingredients
As I mentioned before, there are so many versions to this recipe. One thing is for sure, the ingredients need to have a balance of the six flavours. This recipe achieves this so perfectly by matching the following flavours with a variety of ingredients:
- sweetness – The prawns, mayonnaise, sweet paprika and sugar add a bit of sweetness to the mix.
- saltiness – The prawns and salt remind you of the ocean’s salinity.
- bitterness – The dill provides a refreshing, bitter herbal note.
- sourness – The lemon juice and mayonnaise provide a little bit of mouth puckering acidity.
- heat – The sweet paprika, Tabasco sauce and black pepper offer some spiciness on the palate.
- umami – The hard boiled eggs and prawns offer a savoury flavour that adds depth to the blend.
The flavour combinations in this dish are so addictive! Quite possibly, this is the reason this salad has been such a hit in Iceland for so many years. In order to create the best salad possible, ensure that you are using the freshest ingredients. I highly recommend using Hellmann’s Mayonnaise (Best Foods in parts of the USA)…it’s the best! Even their Vegan Mayonnaise is fantastic! I have tried others and they just don’t quite measure up! Additionally, if you can get your hands on Icelandic prawns, that will make the dish even more authentic!
Serving
Enjoy this Icelandic Raekjusalat piled high on top of your favourite, wholesome bread. Enjoy it with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprig of fresh dill.
Wine Pairing
Serve this Icelandic Raekjusalat paired with a refreshing European white wine.
Icelandic Raekjusalat
Ingredients
- 4 large hard-boiled eggs
- 150 ml mayonnaise
- 100 ml sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp freshly chopped dill
- 300 grams fresh cold-water prawns (cooked, peeled and chilled)
Instructions
Boiling the eggs
- Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water so that the eggs are submerged at least 3cm below the water line.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and continue to cook the eggs for 12 minutes.
- Once the eggs are boiled, turn off the heat, remove from the burner and run cold water over them. You are free to leave them in the cold water.
- When the eggs have cooled, peel them and chop them into small pieces.
Paprika Mayonnaise Sauce
- Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, granulated sugar, sweet paprika, salt and pepper together.
- Once the sauce is thoroughly mixed together, then gently combine the freshly chopped dill, chopped hard-boiled eggs and cold-water prawns.
Serving
- Enjoy served on top of crusty bread or your favourite organic loaf.
Wine pairing
- Enjoy with refreshing European white wine.