Chef Mik's Jansson's Temptation " Jansson's Frestelse"

Janssons Temptation is for me one of the highlights of the Swedish holiday season and holiday table known as “Julbord” aka smörgasbord; it is basically a potato gratin style casserole topped with bread crumbs and has the addition of anchovies. Here in the States peoples faces begin wrinkle up at the mere mention of anchovies but these are a different beast all together, distant relatives of their Southern European brethren as these are sprats that are marinated in a sweet brine flavored with allspice and cloves. The casserole it self has its own history attached to it that is as rich and wonderful as the dish itself. For you see in central Stockholm there is a famous nightclub called Café Opera which is in the same location the opera house has been for centuries, they are well known for their menu as much as they are for the stories that happened their and this is one of my favorites. There once was a famous opera singer named Pelle Jansson who sang at the Opera house every weekend in the late 1800’s. Now, Pelle Jansson was something of a moody guy and would routinely refuse to leave his dressing room. This of course would drive the promoters and the manager of the concert hall crazy, one can only imagine the chaos as the auditorium would fill up and the star they had all come to see might or might not perform. This went on for quite some time, then one day while the chefs in the restaurant attached to the hall were preparing this particular potato casserole for that nights service the aroma made it’s way through the whole of the auditorium permeating Pelle’s dressing room and a curious this happened Pelle went seemingly mad demanding to have the casserole at once but he was already late for that nights performance. Thinking quick on his feet the manager of the hall told him if he just went out and sang when he was done he could have as much of it as he could eat, if he just went out and sang, and amazingly he did! So every week there after they were sure to have this dish on hand incase Pelle would fall into one of his foul moods, for as it turned out this was his one and only weakness, bending his will forcing him to do it’s (their) biding. As such the people who worked in and around the hall and the restaurant began to refer to the dish simply as “Jansson’s temptation” and the name stuck! It is now so ingrained in the heart and soul of every Swede, included in every book on Swedish cooking and a must on any true Swedish Holiday table so much so in fact one would have a hard time thinking of the Holidays without it! 

On a side note, there is however a casserole is Eastern Europe that closely mirrors that of the Swedish classic although they substitute herring for the anchovies, a forerunner to this dish no doubt but all the same I’ll take this one any day!

Chef’s Tip: I have made a couple small modifications to the basic dish first most Swede’s simply sauté the onions were as I have caramelized mine completely in order to lend an extra sweetness to round off the dish. Typically in Sweden people spread the bread crumbs over the top of the casserole then dot it with small pieces of butter, were as I on the other hand have soaked my bread crumbs in melted butter to assure an even and consistent flavor throughout. Today’s Jansson’s is for an order I am preparing so I am using a foil baking dish

Shopping List

Potatoes, russet are fine

Onions

Swedish anchovies

Cream

Bread crumbs

Butter

Salt

White pepper

My Mad Method

Start by slowly caramelizing 2 onions

Meanwhile melt 100g butter, and add about 4 dl bread crumbs mix to combine if to wet add more bread crumbs if to dry add more butter

Peal 8 potatoes

Cut the potatoes into long slender strips

By now the onions should be done, they should have a brownish translucent look to them and be very tender

Brush a nonreactive baking dish with butter and add an even layer of potatoes

Add a layer of anchovies I am using one 100g tin, reserving the juice to add later on

Add a layer of onions, season lightly with salt and white pepper

Repeat with another layer of anchovies or simply fill with another layer of potatoes, pour 5dl heavy cream mixed together with reserved anchovy juice over potatoes

Spread a layer of the soaked bread crumbs over the top and bake in a 175c preheated oven for about 45 minutes to an hour

The casserole will be ready when the cream has reduced well; potatoes are cooked through and nicely browned on top. Ready to serve!!