Swedish
Jansson’s Temptation
Swedish potato casserole with caramelized onion, sprat fillets, cream, butter, and a crisp breadcrumb top.
8 servings · 30 minutes prep · 65 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb russet potatoes, peeled
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 12 oz yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cans Swedish ansjovis spiced sprat fillets, about 4 1/2 oz each
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
Directions
Prepare the Dish and Onions
- Heat the oven to {{temperature:400°F}}. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tbsp softened butter.
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, translucent, and lightly golden but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
Cut, Layer, and Moisten
- Drain the ansjovis, reserving 2 tbsp spiced brine, and cut the fillets in half lengthwise. Cut the potatoes into matchsticks about 1/4 inch thick; do not rinse them, because their starch thickens the cream.
- Spread one-third of the potatoes in the dish and season lightly with white pepper and salt. Top with half the onions and half the sprats. Repeat, then finish with the remaining potatoes.
- Stir together the cream, milk, and reserved brine and pour evenly over the casserole. Press gently so the liquid settles without compacting the potatoes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dot with the remaining 1 tbsp butter.
Bake, Rest, and Serve
- Bake until bubbling, deeply golden, and completely tender when pierced through the center, 55 to 65 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes.
- Rest 10 minutes so the cream thickens around the potatoes, then serve hot.
