Elegant, classic French dish.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Over medium, heat an 8-inch pan with a cup of clarified butter. With a mandolin, slice the potatoes in very thin rounds. Pat potatoes dry with a clean cloth. Starting from the center of the pan, overlapping slightly, place slices in a spiral going clock-wise. Now repeat another spiral counter clock-wise. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with clarified butter and quickly, repeat process of layering, seasoning and drizzling, until the potato cake is about 2 inches high. Slice more potatoes as needed. Shake pan lightly to keep bottom from sticking. Place in oven to finish for 20 minutes. Test potatoes for tenderness. Taking it out of the pan is tricky but if you've got enough butter in there, it should be easy. Simply slide a flexible spatula (or icing knife) around the edge of the pan. Take a large plate (larger than 8") and cover the pan with it so you see the bottom of the plate. In one motion, keeping the plate in contact with the pan, invert the plate and the pan. Remove the pan and voila! Serve it in wedges.