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)
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.
