Equipment
Ingredients
Jansson's Frestelse (Gratin)
- 800 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled
- 250 g yellow onion, peeled
- 125 g swedish ansjovis fillets, canned
- 300 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 30 g plain breadcrumbs
- 2 g white pepper, ground
Pan-Seared Pork Chops
- 800 g bone-in pork chops, thick cut
- 15 ml neutral oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic, crushed
- 5 g fresh thyme, sprigs
- 10 g kosher salt
- 4 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1112 kcal
- Protein
- 57 g
- Carbohydrates
- 58 g
- Fat
- 73 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 2371 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 36 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 22 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 275 mg
- Potassium
- 2246 mg
- Calcium
- 267 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 163 mg
- Phosphorus
- 766 mg
- Zinc
- 6.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 447 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 50 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.94 mg
- Niacin
- 20.3 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 256 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C (400F). Butter a 20x20cm (8x8 inch) or equivalent baking dish.
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, cut the peeled potatoes into thin matchsticks (julienne), roughly 3mm to 5mm thick.
Thinly slice the yellow onions.
In a large skillet, melt 15g of butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and saute until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Do not let them brown.
Layer half of the potato matchsticks in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the sauteed onions and the ansjovis fillets evenly over the potatoes. Top with the remaining potatoes.
In a small bowl or measuring jug, mix the heavy cream, 30ml (2 tablespoons) of the reserved ansjovis brine, and white pepper. Pour this mixture evenly over the assembled gratin.
Sprinkle the plain breadcrumbs evenly across the top of the gratin. Dice the remaining 25g of butter and dot it over the breadcrumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the top is deep golden brown.
When the gratin has about 15 minutes left, prepare the pork. Using a separate cutting board to avoid cross-contamination with raw meat, pat the pork chops completely dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the pork chops and sear without moving them for 4 to 5 minutes until a rich brown crust forms. Flip the chops.
Add the butter, crushed garlic, and thyme sprigs to the skillet. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to continuously baste the melted butter over the pork chops. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 63C (145F).
Transfer the pork chops to a warm plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot alongside generous scoops of the Jansson's Frestelse.
Chef's Notes
- The absolute most critical element of Jansson's Frestelse is the fish. Despite the English translation of 'anchovies', Swedish 'ansjovis' are actually sprats cured in sugar, salt, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, and sandalwood. Regular Mediterranean anchovies will make the dish inedible.
- Do not rinse the potatoes after cutting them into matchsticks. The natural potato starch is essential for thickening the cream into a luxurious sauce.
- If your gratin looks dry halfway through baking, you can add an additional 50ml of cream or milk around the edges of the dish.
- Basting the pork with butter at the end of cooking not only builds incredible flavor but also conducts heat quickly to finish cooking the meat evenly without drying it out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pork and gratin in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Gratin can be frozen, though the potatoes may become slightly grainy upon thawing. Do not freeze cooked pork chops.
Reheating: Reheat gratin in a 175C/350F oven covered with foil for 20 minutes. Reheat pork chops gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
Gratin top is browning too quickly before potatoes are tender
Cause: Oven runs hot or dish is positioned too high in the oven
Fix: Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time
Prevention: Position dish in the middle rack and use an oven thermometer to verify temperature
Pork chops are dry and tough
Cause: Overcooking past the ideal internal temperature of 63C (145F)
Fix: Slice thinly across the grain and drizzle with the resting juices and pan butter
Prevention: Use a digital meat thermometer and pull the chops at exactly 63C, trusting carryover cooking during the rest
Gratin tastes overwhelmingly fishy or excessively salty
Cause: Using Mediterranean anchovies instead of Swedish ansjovis
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always source Swedish sprats (ansjovis) which are sweeter and heavily spiced, not traditional salt-cured anchovies
Cultural Context
Jansson's Frestelse (Jansson's Temptation) is arguably the most famous dish of the Swedish smorgasbord, particularly beloved during Christmas (Julbord) and Easter. The dish was supposedly named after Pelle Jansson, a food-loving Swedish opera singer from the early 1900s, though the recipe's exact origins are debated. Pairing it with pork chops turns this festive side into a hearty, warming weekday dinner.
