There are pieces of smorrebrod you eat on a Tuesday, and there are pieces of smorrebrod you eat on a Saturday when the asparagus has finally come in and someone you love is coming over. Stjerneskud belongs firmly to the second category. It is the piece the old lunch restaurants put at the top of their menus, the piece a smorrebrodsjomfru would finish with a flourish, the piece you order when the occasion is worth the asking.

The name means shooting star, and once you've seen it on the plate you'll understand why. Two fillets of plaice, one fried in breadcrumbs until the crust crackles and one steamed until it flakes at a touch, sit side by side on buttered white bread. Over them goes a handful of sweet pink shrimp, two spears of white asparagus crossed at the top, a ribbon of pale coral Marie Rose sauce, a spoonful of dark lumpfish roe, and a frond of dill. It shoots off the plate. That is the whole idea.

White asparagus is the season that decides this dish. It arrives in Danish markets in May and stays through June, the spears pale and thick and almost buttery when cooked right. You can make stjerneskud outside the asparagus weeks, and many restaurants do, but the version where the asparagus is fresh and local is the one worth waiting for. The joy of waiting is a real part of Danish cooking, and this is a dish that rewards it.

I'll walk you through every step so that nothing feels uncertain. The sauce first, because it needs to rest. The asparagus next, then the steamed fish, then the breaded and fried fish last so the crumb is still crisp when you assemble. Build in order, work quickly at the end, and bring it to the table straight away. You'll know when it's right. The plate will look like a small celebration, because that's exactly what it is.