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. 

  2 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
3-4 Cups   Buttermilk marinade from chicken
2/3 C      Heavy Cream
           Salt
           Pepper
           Nutmeg
  2 clove  Garlic, minced

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.

Peel and rinse the Potatoes.

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

Cover and cook at a gentle simmer about 5 minutes until slightly tender but not in danger of falling apart.

With a slotted spoon, layer them casually into a 4-5 casserole.

Pour over with remaining Buttermilk, then Cream.

Bake 80-90 minutes at 325F; 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!