Tricoloured Pommes Anna

Pommes Anna or Anna potatoes, is a classic French dish of sliced, layered potatoes cooked in a very large amount of melted butter, traditionally served immediately on a hot plate, as a sort of a bed for sliced roast meat, or a small wedge, nicely nestled next to salad.

I had a lovely idea, using carrot and yam, to add more colour and taste to my sense. I like it with mushroom cream sauce and side salad (all-in-one dish): one of my favourite vegetarian dishes, not only for its name, "Anna", but also for its "easy to make and delicious to eat" potato philosophy. Plus when Anne is lazy and bored with rice, noodles or pasta menus, potato just fits right in!:)

Note: For richer taste, crushed garlic, breadcrumbs and grated Gruyère cheese can be sprinkled between the layers and a bit of extra cheese for the top, before baking, the same method as "Gratin Dauphinois", only without crème fraîche (cream).

Ingredients:

6 medium waxy potatoes

2 carrots

2 yams

150 g butter, melted

Extra butter for greasing

Salt & pepper  

and/or chili powder (for Thai tongue)

• Preheat the oven to 210°C . Grease a deep 16 cm round cake tin or tart tin with melted butter;
• Peel the potatoes, carrots and yams and cut into very thin slices with a mandolin or sharp knife; 
• Lay the potatoes, carrot and yam slices on paper towels or tea towels and pat dry. Start from the centre of the dish, overlap one-third of the potatoes slices over the base, brushing butter over each layer and seasoning; 
• Repeat the layers with carrot slices and yam slices, and finish with potato slices, respectively, drizzling the last bit of butter over the top. Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit over the top of the potato. Bake for about 1 hour or until cooked and brown; 
• Remove from the oven and leave for 3-5 minutes, then pour off any excess butter. Run a knife around the edge to loosen. Then turn out and cut into slices onto a serving plate.

Bon Appétit!