Janssons frestelse

Janssons frestelse ("Jansson's temptation") is a traditional Swedish casserole made of potatoes, onion, pickled sprats and cream.

The potatoes are grated 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 recipe is often mistranslated into English, using anchovies instead of sprats. This is because sprats (Clupea Sprattus, Sprattus Sprattus), pickled in sugar, salt and spices, are known in Sweden as "ansjovis" from as far back as the 17th century, while true anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) are sold in Sweden as "sardeller".

The name has often been claimed [http://medlem.spray.se/skroenor/newpage4.html The website Välmatade historier] , recipe and article on Janssons frestelse, discussing the name (in Swedish)] to originate with the opera singer Pelle Janzon (1844-1889), remembered as a gourmand. However, another claim for the origin of the name has been made by Gunnar Stigmark in an article "Så var det med Janssons frestelse", in the periodical "Gastronomisk kalender". According to Stigmark, the name was borrowed from the film "Janssons frestelse" (1928) with the popular actor Edvin Adolphson; as a name for this dish it was coined by Stigmark's mother and her hired cooking lady for the particular occasion a society dinner, whence it spread to other households and eventually into cookbooks.

The dish is also very popular in Finland as "Janssonin kiusaus". (also means literally "Jansson's temptation")

References