Equipment
Ingredients
Jansson's Temptation (Gratin)
- 800 g potatoes, peeled
- 300 g yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 50 g unsalted butter, divided
- 125 g swedish ansjovis, drained and roughly chopped
- 15 ml ansjovis brine
- 300 ml heavy cream, cold
- 30 g dry breadcrumbs
Pan-Seared Pork Chops
- 4 bone-in pork chops, thick-cut
- 8 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml neutral oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic, crushed
- 5 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C or 400°F. Generously grease a medium baking dish using 10 grams of the gratin butter.
Cut the peeled potatoes into fine matchsticks on a cutting board or mandoline, about 3 millimeters thick. Do not rinse the potatoes after cutting, as the surface starch helps thicken the cream sauce.
Melt 20 grams of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and saute for 10 minutes until softened and translucent, taking care not to let them brown.
Place one third of the potato matchsticks in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread half of the sauteed onions and half of the chopped ansjovis evenly over the potatoes. Repeat with another third of the potatoes, the remaining onions, and ansjovis. Top with a final flat layer of potatoes.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the reserved ansjovis brine. Pour this mixture evenly over the assembled gratin layers.
Sprinkle the dry breadcrumbs evenly across the top of the potatoes and dot with the remaining 20 grams of gratin butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the top is a deep golden brown.
About 20 minutes before the gratin is finished, prepare the pork. Pat the pork chops completely dry with paper towels to ensure a good sear.
Season the pork chops generously on all sides with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the pork chops. Sear without moving for 4 minutes to establish a dark, flavorful crust.
Flip the pork chops. Immediately add the unsalted butter, crushed garlic, and fresh thyme to the skillet. Tilt the pan slightly and repeatedly spoon the foaming butter over the chops. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 63°C or 145°F.
Transfer the pork chops to a clean cutting board. Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving alongside the hot gratin.
Chef's Notes
- Swedish ansjovis are entirely different from Mediterranean anchovies. They are sprats preserved in a sweet, highly spiced brine featuring cinnamon, allspice, and sandalwood. Standard anchovies are heavily salted and will ruin the flavor profile of this dish.
- Never rinse your potatoes after slicing them into matchsticks. The natural starches preserved on the exterior of the potato combine with the heavy cream during baking to create the signature velvety sauce.
- For the best possible crust on your pork chops, ensuring the surface is devoid of moisture before searing is critical. Water creates steam, which acts as a barrier to the Maillard reaction.
- If your gratin begins to brown too quickly in the oven before the potatoes are tender, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pork and gratin in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat gratin in a 175 degrees Celsius oven until bubbling. Gently reheat pork chops in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking.
