Potato Pavé

3 large potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
5 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp softened & 4 tbsp cut into 5 mm cubes
rice bran oil
2 thyme sprigs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
minced fresh chives
SIDS CRAZY SALT

Preheat oven to 175°C.
Pour cream into a large bowl, season with ½ tsp SIDS CRAZY SALT. Peel potatoes. Trim all sides of one potato to make a rectangular shape. Set a mandoline over bowl of cream and, starting with the flat side of the potato, slice potato lengthwise into very thin slices. (alternatively, if you cannot set your mandoline over bowl, slice potatoes, adding slices to cream as you work) Toss potato slices in cream occasionally to keep them from oxidizing. Repeat process with remaining potatoes.
Brush a 25x12x7 cm baking pan with half of the softened butter. Line pan with baking paper, leaving a 13 cm overhang on all sides. Brush baking paper with remaining softened butter and sprinkle very lightly with SIDS CRAZY SALT.
Trim slices to form an even layer in the bottom of the pan then repeat process to form a second layer. Dot with a few cubes of butter and season lightly with SIDS CRAZY SALT. Continue layering potatoes and adding butter and seasoning after every two layers until pan is filled. Fold sides of parchment paper over potatoes. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to oven.
Bake until potatoes are completely tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 1 hour 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Cut a piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the size of pan and wrap with aluminum foil. Place foil-wrapped cardboard on top of potatoes and weight down with heavy cans to let potatoes cool to room temperature. Remove weights and tightly wrap pan. Refrigerate potatoes at least 6 hours.
To Serve: run an offset spatula between the baking paper and pan to release. Using the baking paper overhang, carefully lift pavé out of pan or invert onto a cutting board. Trim sides of pavé and cut into 12 equal pieces then stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a large frypan to medium-high, add enough oil to coat. When oil is hot, add potatoes, cut-side-down, along with thyme and garlic. Cook, basting with oil, until browned on first side. Carefully turn and brown on opposite side.
Transfer potatoes to a serving platter and arrange browned side up. Place a small piece of butter on each and sprinkle with chives. Serve & Enjoy!