Sweet Potatoes Anna
From Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home by Chuck Williams (Weldon-Owen)
2 1⁄2 lb (1.25 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1⁄8 inch (3 mm) thick
1 1⁄2 cups (3⁄4 lb/375 g) Clarified Butter
Salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 9-inch (23-cm) straight-sided, nonstick cake pan or ovenproof frying pan.
Starting at the center of the pan and forming concentric circles, cover the bottom with a layer of sweet potato slices, overlapping the slices. Drizzle with some of the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue layering until all the potatoes have been used.
Butter one side of a piece of aluminum foil and cover the pan. Place a heavy lid (smaller than the pan) on top to weigh down the potato layers. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and foil and continue to bake until golden and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes longer; do not overcook. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Using a narrow spatula, loosen the potatoes from the pan bottom. Invert a platter over the pan and, holding the platter and pan firmly, invert them together. Lift off the pan. Pour off any excess butter from the platter.
Garnish with the parsley, cut into wedges, and serve.
Serves 8
Using clarified butter
Clarified butter is butter from which the milk solids and water have been removed, leaving behind a pure, clear, golden liquid that can be used in high-temperature preparations like this one with little risk of burning.
Copyright © 2010 Weldon Owen Inc. and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
