This dish has a very interesting name – Jansson’s temptation. It was apparently named after somebody famous but I’m really not sure who these people are (possibly Swedish in origin) so I’m not going to say too much about this. In essence, it is a potato dish baked simply in a cream sauce, similar to a potato gratin but done in a julienned (not sliced potatoes) manner.
This is a dish that the Swedes would prepare as a traditional Easter or Christmas dish. This is how I am gonna start off my Christmas renditions as well. Because it’s November and Christmas is coming soon! I’m not the earliest already – the malls and supermarkets are all nicely decorated with Christmas wreaths, trees and bells since last weekend. The Christmas biscuits and packages are all up on the shelves and racks in the local supermarkets too. All the businesses are ready with their last spurt of efforts to gather the last amount of profits that they could make with the final season of the year – my favourite season of the year.
The year just came and went in the blink of an eye. I can’t believe this whole covid drama is still not over yet and that we have all survived half a year of this nonsense. It’s been such a tough year for everyone, I’m hoping that we could end it off in a nicer tone, at least with our family and closer friends, and of course with some nice food to top it off.
For now, let’s just tug in to this dish of Jansson’s temptation. I am already thinking of the next few dishes to prepare for a great Christmas cheers ahead. Can’t help feeling excited!
Ingredients:
- Butter: 2 tbsp + extra for greasing baking dish
- Onion: 1, small, diced
- Anchovy (canned): 15, sliced, oil reserved
- Thickened cream: 500ml
- Salt: a pinch
- Ground blackpepper: a pinch
- Potato: 500g, peeled & julienned
Method:
- Heat butter in saucepan. Fry onions till golden brown.
- Mix anchovies into onions. Saute 1min.
- Stir in reserved oil from anchovy, cream, salt and blackpepper. Set aside.
- Preheat oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Grease base of baking dish with remaining butter.
- Place half of potatos into baking dish. Top with stir-fried cream mixture.
- Repeat step 5 until all potatoes and cream mixture are used up.
- Cover with foil. Bake 40min.
- Remove foil. Bake another 20min (or less) till golden brown.
Serving:
3 – 4 persons
