Jansson's temptation

Preparation

The potatoes are cut into thin strips and layered in a roasting tin, alternating with the sprats and chopped onions in between. Salt and pepper is put over each layer, then cream is added so that it almost fills the tin. It is finally baked in an oven at 200 C for about one hour.

The type of fish used in this dish is often mistranslated into English, writing anchovies when it should be sprats. This is because sprats (Sprattus sprattus) pickled in sugar, salt and spices have been known in Sweden as ansjovis since the middle of the 19th century, while true anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) are sold in Sweden as sardeller (sardelles). Small herrings (Clupea harengus) may be used instead of sprats.

Name and origin

It has often been associated with the opera singer Per Adolf "Pelle" Janzon (1844–1889), remembered as a gourmand, but any connection with him is unlikely, according to food writer Jens Linder. Another claim for the origin of the name has been made by Gunnar Stigmark (1910–2001) in his article "Så var det med Janssons frestelse", which appeared in the periodical Gastronomisk kalender. According to Stigmark, his mother and a cook she had hired to prepare a dinner party wanted to give the familiar dish a special name, and decided to use the name of the film Janssons frestelse (1928) featuring the actor and director Edvin Adolphson; from that party the name spread to other households and eventually into cookbooks.

According to Linder the dish did not become associated with Christmas dinner until the 1970s.

References

References

1. (30 April 2011). "Holidays of the World Cookbook for Students: Updated and Revised". ABC-CLIP.
2. (2017). "Smorgasbord: The Art of Swedish Breads and Savory Treats". Random House.
3. Elmquist, Pernilla. "Janzons Temptation". Pernilla Elmquist.
4. "Janssons frestelse". Välmatade historier.
5. (4 December 2019). "Janssons frestelse—a really tempting sprats casserole".
6. "Sprattus sprattus". Food and Agriculture Organization.
7. Kim, Eric. (20 December 2023). "Jansson's Temptation (Creamy Potato Casserole) Recipe".