Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes

I wanted rich Scalloped potatoes without cheese, not a gratin, and wanted the potatoes to "gel" instead of slip-sliding past each other. This uses the brine from the buttermilk marinated chicken. You could use regular Milk, too. This recipe is similar but uses a half the Milk and no Cream. It does take a long time to bake, so plan ahead. 

  1 L      3-4 Cups    Buttermilk marinade from chicken (or Milk)

                       Salt

                       Pepper
    pinch      pinch   Nutmeg

  2 clove    2 clove   Garlic, minced

  1 Kg       2 Pounds  Yukon Gold Potatoes

 30 g        2 Tbs     Butter

200 ml     2/3 C       Heavy Cream (may not be necessary)

Heat the Buttermilk in a pot until simmering, taste for Salt and adjust; add Pepper, Nutmeg, Garlic.

The buttermilk will start separating, but once the potatoes start cooking in it, the starch will bring it together again.

Optionally, peel the Potatoes; don't rinse, the starch will help gel the Milk.

Slice Potatoes 1-2mm thick on a mandolin and add to the hot Buttermilk.

Cook at a gentle simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally,  until slightly tender but not in danger of falling apart.

Butter a casserole or baking dish to prevent sticking; toss any remaining Butter in the pot.

With a slotted spoon, layer the cooked Potatoes casually into the casserole.

Pour over with remaining Buttermilk, then Cream.

Bake 80-90 minutes at 180C/350F; you can probably go higher so it can bake at the same time as the Chicken.

Let sit 10 minutes to "gel".

If you do this in advance of the Chicken, you can reheat after gelling and cooling.

Buttermilk-Marinated Roast Chicken

This comes from Samin Nosrat's Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (video) -- the chicken roasts up an appealing burnished brown, with moist flesh; it's surprisingly easy to make. You can make Scalloped Potatoes at the same time with the used Buttermilk, but they take longer to bake than the chicken.

Chicken on rack over cast iron pan: save those juices!

3-4 pound Whole Chicken
  2 Tbs   Salt
  4 Cups  Buttermilk

Generously salt the Chicken, inside and out; let sit an hour to absorb.
Put in a large bag and add 4 Cups Buttermilk; seal and fridge overnight.
Drain and save the Buttermilk for Scalloped Potatoes.
Put chicken on a rack, breast-side up, over a pan and let come to room temperature for an hour.

Heat oven to 425F/220C, non-convection.

Point the chicken legs to the corner, bake 20 minutes, reduce heat to 400, bake 10 minutes, point the legs to the other corner, and bake another 30 minutes.

Let sit 15 minutes before carving.

Save the pan juices! Pour out, scraping all the bits, let cool and separate. The fat has good flavor, but OMG, the concentrated juices firm up like precious demi-glace and is super tasty!