Pommes Anna

This dish of potatoes braised in butter is perfect as an accompaniment for steaks or roasts. I prepared this as part of our meal on Valentines Day and it’s so good and easy I wonder why people don’t make it more frequently (other than all the butter, of course).

Pommes Anna

Serves 4

4 potatoes, peeled and sliced thin crosswise
4 Tbsp. butter
Salt & pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Melt the butter over low heat (purists will insist that you clarify the butter by skimming off the milk solids—the “scum” that remains in the butter when you melt it).
3. Heat a low, oven-safe cooking pan on the stove over medium heat (a well-seasoned cast-iron frying pan is perfect for this).
4. Turn the heat off and pour a thin layer of butter into the pan.
5. Place a single layer of potatoes in the pan.
6. Spread a spoonful of melted butter over the top of the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
7. Place another of potatoes on top of the first, overlapping the slices (see the picture above).
8. Spread a spoonful of melted butter over the top of the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you’ve used all your potatoes.
10. Seal the top of the pan securely with aluminum foil (I put a lid on top of the foil).
11. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the potatoes are completely cooked.
12. Unseal the top of the pan and brown the top of the potatoes under the broiler for a few minutes.

When Pommes Anna is unmolded onto a warmed serving plate it’s quite showy, as you can see from the picture.