Jansson's Temptation (Janssons frestelse)

A creamy Swedish potato gratin of matchstick potatoes, softened onions and sweet spiced sprats baked in cream until golden. The star of the Swedish Christmas table. Serves 6.

Jansson's temptation potato gratin with a golden top, one serving scooped out
  • Prep 25 min
  • Cook 1 hr
  • Total 1 hr 25 min
  • Yield 6 servings

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Questions | Print recipe

Janssons frestelse, Jansson's temptation, is a rich potato bake that appears on every Swedish Christmas smorgasbord. Thin sticks of potato and slow-cooked onion are layered with ansjovis, the sweet spiced sprats Swedes call anchovies, then baked in cream until the top turns golden.

The sprats melt into the cream and give the dish a savory depth rather than a fishy taste. Serve it with ham, meatballs or on its own with a green salad.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
  • 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 (4.4 ounce) can Swedish-style spiced sprat fillets (ansjovis), with 2 tablespoons of their brine
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. Soften the onions. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onions for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and golden.
  3. Cut the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into thin matchsticks, about 1/4 inch thick. Do not rinse them; the starch helps thicken the cream.
  4. Layer. Spread a third of the potatoes in the dish, then half the onions and half the sprat fillets. Repeat, and finish with the last of the potatoes.
  5. Add the cream. Stir the sprat brine, cream, milk and pepper together and pour it over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and dot with the remaining butter.
  6. Bake. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

  • Swedish ansjovis are sprats, not Italian anchovies. If you can only find Italian anchovies, use about half as many, since they are much saltier.
  • The brine from the can seasons the cream, so taste before adding any salt.

Questions about this recipe

Does Jansson's temptation taste fishy?
Not really. The spiced sprats dissolve into the cream and give the gratin a savory, slightly sweet depth.
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble it up to the point of adding the cream, cover and refrigerate for a few hours, then add the cream and bake. Allow an extra 10 minutes in the oven.

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