Flavours of home is a series of recipes from around the world cooked by people at home in Otago. This week Liisa Tate-Manning, from Finland, shows us how to make Jansson's temptation and Rosolli, a beetroot relish.
Liisa Tate-Manning grew up in Finland and came to New Zealand in 1975 with her Irish husband.
They were both social workers looking to escape the civil unrest in Belfast at that time.
Jansson's temptation is a winter dish, best made with old, floury potatoes, and is common, she says, in coastal areas where people eat a lot of fish.
It's a dish for special occasions, rich with cream and butter, but it is easy to assemble, can be made in large quantities and left to cook by itself.
It's also delicious cold the next day.
Jansson's temptation
To serve 6-7 people
4 Tbsp butter
1 onion
5-6 medium potatoes
2 small jars or cans of anchovies
300ml creamblack pepper to taste (optional)
Preheat oven to 200degCGrease a shallow, oven-proof dish with a little of the butter.
Finely chop the onion and soften in a little more of the butter until translucent.
Peel and slice the potatoes.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
Layer some of the potatoes in the dish, sprinkle some of the onion over.
Drain the anchovies, reserving the oil, and lay some of the anchovies over.
Repeat layers, finishing with a layer of potatoes.
Pour the cream over and add the anchovy oil.
Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and spread over the top.
Add pepper if you wish.
Bake uncovered in the oven at 200degC for about 25 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180degC for another 20 minutes or so.
The top should be browned, the potatoes soft and everything should be melted together.
Allow to settle before serving with rosolli (red beetroot salad).
Rosolli (red beetroot salad)
200g pickled beetroot, finely chopped
200g pickled gherkin, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped.
1 cup sour cream
freshly ground pepper
Mix all the ingredients together and allow to stand for half an hour or so for the flavours to develop
Tips
Be generous with the anchovies.
They melt into the dish, suffusing it with delicious savoury flavours.
You can use other fish, such as gurnard for a milder flavour.
Beetroot and gherkins were standard winter vegetables in Finland.
This is ideal for entertaining as it can be made ahead and needs no last-minute preparation.
Thanks to Afife Harris.
