Jansson's Temptation
Posted
Sun, 04/20/03
I am completely exhausted. It's a strange quirk of the human body how lack of sleep finally catches up and does its damage. I'm absolutely dragging today, or to use one of my oft-muttered phrases, I'm lethargic. I spent at least six hours yesterday finishing Swedish Koket. I then went on to spend another six hours editing and writing on another project. I was like a walking zombie when I finally went to bed, and this morning I hardly feel rested at all.
However, finishing Swedish Koket means I also decided on all of the recipes to include in the book. I tried to put in traditional fare as well as a few dishes to cover some of the recipe categories at Food Fare. One of the more intriguing bits of cuisine was Jansson's Frestelse (which translates simply to "Jansson's Temptation"). The dish is common in Sweden:
Jansson's Frestelse (Jansson's Temptation)
8 to 10 potatoes, peeled & shredded
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Peel the potatoes and onions; coarsely shred the potatoes. Slice or chop the onion; sauté in a bit of butter or margarine in a skillet for about five minutes. In a lightly greased baking dish, alternate layers of potatoes, onions and anchovies (the top and bottom layers consisting of potatoes). Pour half the cream and two or three tablespoons of anchovy juice over the casserole. Dot with more butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for about forty-five minutes. Baste outer edges of casserole with the remaining cream towards the end of the baking time. Serve.
Historical Note: The name "Jansson's Frestelse" is said to have originated with opera singer Pelle Janzon (1844-1889), who was known to be a great lover of food. Other culinary historians insist the dish was named after a phrase coined by writer Gunnar Stigmark (sa var det med Janssons frestelse) in reference to the 1928 film Janssons Frestelse starring Edvin Adolphson.
The recipe might technically qualify as an entree, but with the inclusion of the many anchovies I thought it was better suited as a side dish.
Tags: Culinary Collection;
Potatoes;
Sweden
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