Potatoes Anna, English Crumpets

DEAR SOS: I would really love to have the recipe for the potato circles baked crisp and served with meals at Chasen’s in Beverly Hills.

--MILLIE

DEAR MILLIE: Some of the best things are the simplest. There are only two major ingredients in potatoes Anna, a classic French recipe often used in restaurants. But there is a trick to assembling and baking that will keep you on your toes.

CHASEN’S POTATOES ANNA

6 baking potatoes

Salt, pepper

1 1/2 cups clarified butter

Chopped parsley, optional

Peel potatoes and cut into paper-thin 1/8-inch slices. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using 1 potato per cup, layer slices into 6-ounce heat-proof custard cups, adding about 2 tablespoons clarified butter to each cup. Top potato layer should be slightly higher than rim.

Place cups on baking sheet over range. Turn on heat under baking sheet until butter in cups comes to boil. Turn off heat. Wearing oven mitts, place baking sheet and cups in oven to bake at 350 degrees 45 to 60 minutes. When top layer of potatoes turns brown, cover with foil.

After 45 minutes, test for doneness. Bottom layer of potatoes should be crisp and brown. When done, remove baking sheet and cool potatoes in cups 20 minutes. Slide fork under potatoes to loosen. Invert potatoes on dish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

279 calories; 181 mg sodium; 35 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1 gram fiber.

DEAR SOS: I’ve lost a recipe for crumpets that I clipped from The Times approximately 25 years ago. I hope you can find it. They were gorgeous.

--HELEN

DEAR HELEN: This recipe, perhaps?

ENGLISH CRUMPETS

1/3 package cake or dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm water

1/4 cup melted shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk, scalded and cooled

1 2/3 cups flour, about

Butter, optional

Dissolve yeast in bowl with warm water. In another bowl add dissolved yeast, shortening, salt and scalded milk. Stir in flour. Beat well. Let rise in warm place 1 1/2 hours.

Grease crumpet rings about 1 inch deep and 3 3/4 inches across. Place rings on hot griddle. Pour enough batter into each ring to fill halfway and cook until top bubbles. (Griddle must not be too hot or bottom of crumpets will cook before top bubbles.) Do not turn. Remove rings from griddle with pancake turner and slip out crumpets. Cool completely. Then toast and butter generously. Makes about 10.

Each unbuttered crumpet contains about:

128 calories; 131 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.06 gram fiber.