Jansson’s Temptation (Creamy Potato Casserole)
Updated Dec. 20, 2023
- Total Time
- 50 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2(4.4-ounce) tins Swedish sprats (also known as ansjovis; see Tip), or 1 (2-ounce) tin anchovy fillets in oil
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1medium yellow onion
- 2¼ pounds starchy potatoes, such as russet (about 3 potatoes)
- 3 to 5tablespoons regular or panko bread crumbs
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
310 calories; 22 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 1163 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 2 ½-quart ovenproof casserole dish with ½ tablespoon butter.
- Step 2
Pour the liquid from the fish tins into the cream, reserving the fish, and whisk well.
- Step 3
Peel the onion, halve it and then slice it very thinly. Peel the potatoes, cut them lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planks, then cut those planks lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick batons, like French fries.
- Step 4
Spread a third of the potatoes in the casserole dish, then top with half of the onions and half of the sprats. Repeat the layering, then top with the remaining potatoes. Pour the cream over top and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Evenly place small dabs of the remaining 3 tablespoons butter on top.
- Step 5
Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly to let the cream set, then serve. (To make this dish ahead, cook the recipe all the way through, let cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 day. To serve, reheat in the oven, uncovered, until warmed through.)
- Swedish tinned sprats, or ansjovis, are nothing like the salty anchovies purchased in the United States. Available online and in specialty Scandinavian stores, they’re milder baby herrings that taste wonderful when baked into creamy potatoes. With that said, regular anchovies work in a pinch; just use less and add ⅛ teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg to the cream in Step 2 to mimic the seasonings of Swedish ansjovis. Both ansjovis and anchovies should be salty enough to season the whole dish.
Private Notes
Comments
My Swedish wife has made this every Christmas since coming to the US in 1973, and everyone seems to love it. In an adaptation to those who do not care for whole anchovies, with their bones, skin, etc, she subs anchovy paste. Similar taste end result without the physical presence. Gud Yul!
I’m Swedish and eat this for julbord every year. Swedish anjovis are delicious and if you buy the right kind they should be filets with no skin and no bones (or so tiny you’d never know). Grebbestads anjovis are the best and probably can be found at IKEA at the holidays. The only thing missing in this recipe is allspice, maybe a tsp. or so, sprinkled into the layers. No cinnamon! Allspice is typical in Swedish food. Proper Swedish meatballs also have allspice in them.
As a Swede, I make this every Christmas for our julbord. But we never add the onion raw: it’s critical that you first sauté the thinly sliced onion in a little bit of a butter. The onion should turn translucent, but not brown; it’s then ready to use. I agree with Sarah F that Grebbestads ansjovis, in the pink tin, is the very best for this recipe. And absolutely no cinnamon! The dish freezes well, after cooking, so you can make it ahead. God Jul!
NYT Cooking rarely steers me wrong, but the combination of sweet brined fish, cream, potatoes and onions was not a winner in my household. I used the recommended anchovies in the pink tin (ordered from Amazon) and followed the recipe as written. The overall result was sweet, rather than savory. Additionally, as others have noted, the dish had a slightly gray appearance….after dinner I overheard someone in the house calling it Jansson’s Revenge….
Sautéed the onions ahead of time as others recommended. Did not add additional nutmeg; the liquid from the Grebbestads anjovis, along with the sprats themselves, imparted sufficient flavor for us. Delicious and will make again.
If you don't have Swedish sprats, don't make this recipe. Also, need to sprinkle a little white pepper in the layers.
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