Swedish Christmas Classic – Jansson’s Temptation

This lovely Swedish Christmas dish is essentially a potato gratin, topped with crispy breadcrumbs, soft on the inside and spiced up with small pickled sprats to add an almost undefinable sweet saltiness to the dish.

An ultra classic Swedish dish, one of my personal favorites and an absolute legend on the Swedish Christmas table. Say hello to Janssons Frestelse – Janssons Temptation.

This is essentially a potato gratin, topped with crispy breadcrumbs, soft on the inside and spiced up with small pickled sprats to add an almost undefinable sweet saltiness to the dish. But don’t be alarmed by the sprat thing. It doesn’t taste like fish – the sprats are just seasoning – a Temptation tastes smooth and creamy with just a tiny hint of the ocean.

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Many English Jansson Temptation recipes use anchovies – due to a very common translation mistake. The Swedish word ansjovis is often translated (and understandably so) into the English anchovies, but ansjovis in Swedish actually means pickled sprats.

Now, you can actually substitute the sprats for matjes herring if you have a hard time finding pickled sprats (and a surprisingly easy time finding matjes herring). My personal tip is to visit that huge Swedish furniture store you might have close by to see if they carry these small salty snorklers. But please stay away from using anchovies.

Now, if you don’t feel like “Swedifying” your Christmas this year – don’t despair. Save the recipe for any cold dark night – Janssons Temptation deserves to be eaten all through the winter, served as it is without any accessories, or together with a few good barbecued bangers.

GOD JUL!

How to Make Jansson’s Frestelse – Jansson’s Temptation

Prepare Ingredients

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C).
2. Simmer Potatoes: In a saucepan, combine the potato strips with half of the marinade from the sprats, heavy cream, and milk. Simmer gently over medium heat for 10 minutes. This step helps infuse the potatoes with flavor and partially cooks them.
3. Prepare Onions: While the potatoes simmer, thinly slice the onions. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and sauté the onions until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Assemble the Dish

4. Layer Ingredients: In a large, buttered oven dish (or individual dishes), layer the ingredients in the following order:
   • A layer of the sautéed onions
   • A layer of potatoes
   • A scattering of chopped sprats
   • Repeat layers, ending with potatoes on top.
5. Season: Lightly season each layer with freshly ground black pepper. Use salt sparingly as the sprats or herring may already be salty.

Finish and Bake

6. Add Toppings: Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top layer of potatoes. Dot the surface with slices of the remaining butter.
7. Bake: Place the dish in the middle of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

Serve

8. Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving.

101 Guide to Succeeding with Janssons Temptation

• Pick the Right Sprats/Herring: Use pickled sprats or matjes herring for authentic flavor. Ensure you reserve the marinade, as it adds depth to the dish.
• Uniform Potato Strips: Cutting potatoes into evenly sized strips ensures they cook uniformly.
• Prevent Burning: Check the dish during the last 15 minutes of baking. Cover with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
• Reheating Tip: If reheating leftovers, add a splash of cream to maintain the creamy consistency.
• Layering for Balance: Balance the layers of potatoes, onions, and sprats to ensure each bite has a mix of textures and flavors.

Recipe Notes

• Adjusting Salt: The sprats or herring are naturally salty, so taste before adding extra salt.
• Alternative Fish: If sprats are unavailable, anchovies can be used as a substitute, but the flavor will be stronger.
• Bread Crumbs: For added crunch, use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular ones.
• Make Ahead: Assemble the dish a day before and refrigerate. Bake fresh before serving.

Swedish Christmas Classic – Jansson’s Temptation

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5 from 9 reviews

• Author: Kalle Bergman
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x

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Description

An absolutely classic Swedish dish, not just served during Christmas – but as a late night snack at many Swedish parties throughout the year.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

4–6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thin strips (approximately 1/4 inch wide)

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (plus additional for reheating if needed)

3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk

7 oz (200 g) pickled sprats or matjes herring, finely chopped (reserve the marinade)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 stick (8 tablespoons or 113 g) unsalted butter, divided

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Instructions

Prepare Ingredients

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C).
2. Simmer Potatoes: In a saucepan, combine the potato strips with half of the marinade from the sprats, heavy cream, and milk. Simmer gently over medium heat for 10 minutes. This step helps infuse the potatoes with flavor and partially cooks them.
3. Prepare Onions: While the potatoes simmer, thinly slice the onions. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and sauté the onions until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Assemble the Dish

4. Layer Ingredients: In a large, buttered oven dish (or individual dishes), layer the ingredients in the following order:
   • A layer of the sautéed onions
   • A layer of potatoes
   • A scattering of chopped sprats
   • Repeat layers, ending with potatoes on top.
5. Season: Lightly season each layer with freshly ground black pepper. Use salt sparingly as the sprats or herring may already be salty.

Finish and Bake

6. Add Toppings: Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top layer of potatoes. Dot the surface with slices of the remaining butter.
7. Bake: Place the dish in the middle of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

Serve

8. Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving. Janssons Temptation is perfect as a side dish for festive occasions or as a standalone comfort food.

Notes

TIP: You can make the Temptation the day before and re-heat it – but if you do, add a little extra cream during re-heating.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 60 mins
• Category: Side
• Method: Oven Baking
• Cuisine: Swedish

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 250g
• Calories: 280
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 340mg
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 50mg