• Heat oven to 425°F. Spray a 12-inch piece of foil with cooking spray and set aside.

To Clarify the Butter:

• Line a small mesh strainer with a coffee filter or cheesecloth, and set the strainer over a Mason jar or dish and set it aside while preparing the clarified butter.
• Clarify the butter in a small saucepan by melting it over medium- low heat. Simmer it gently until the foam rises to the top. The water in the butter will cause the butter to sizzle and sputter and foam will begin to rise to the top and the solids will sink to the bottom.
• When the sizzling and sputtering stops, remove the pan from the heat and skim off the foam with a spoon.
• Carefully pour the melted butter through the cheesecloth-lined strainer into the container, leaving behind any solids from the bottom of the pan.

For the Potatoes:

• With a sharp knife or mandolin cut the peeled potatoes into 1/8-inch thin slices.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the melted clarified butter to the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron or non-stick skillet with sloping sides. Brush the butter over the bottom and sides of the skillet.
• Starting in the center of the pan, arrange a layer of potato slices, slightly overlapping in a circular pattern, covering the bottom of the pan. Brush with more butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Continue to build up the layers of potatoes, placing each layer going in the opposite direction; buttering and seasoning each layer until the skillet is full. Drizzle the remaining butter over the top layer of potatoes.
• Set the skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, gently shaking the pan occasionally to prevent potatoes from sticking.
• Remove from the heat and cover with the prepared foil, sprayed side down.
• Place a smaller pan or plate on top of the foil and press the potatoes.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-minutes covered with the foil, then remove the skillet from the oven and compress the potatoes again. After they have been compressed, remove the foil, return the potatoes to the oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are firm-tender and golden brown on top.
• Remove from the oven, hold a pot lid or plate over the potatoes to keep the potatoes from falling out and gently tip the skillet over the sink or plate to drain off the excess butter.

To Serve the Potatoes:

• Slide a thin spatula around the inside edge of the skillet and underneath the potatoes as gently as possible to loosen the potatoes.
• Place a round serving plate upside down over the skillet and grasping the skillet and the plate together flip the skillet over. The potatoes should slide out as a round, compact cake. If any of the slices stick to the bottom, carefully lift them out and place them where they belong on the cake.
• Just before serving, garnish the potatoes with the snipped chives and blossoms. To serve slice into pie-shaped wedges.