Poutine

About This Recipe

Poutine is Canada's most beloved comfort food, born in rural Québec in the 1950s. Golden, crispy French fries are loaded with fresh cheese curds — which squeak when bitten — then drenched in a glossy, deeply savoury beef and chicken gravy that partially melts the curds into pockets of gooey bliss.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgMaris Piper or Russet potatoes
• 250 gfresh cheese curds
• 2 Lsunflower oil, for frying
• 500 mlbeef stock
• 250 mlchicken stock
• 2 tbspbutter
• 2 tbspplain flour
• 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 1 tspsoy sauce
• 0.5 tspgarlic powder
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut and soak fries

   Peel and cut potatoes into 1 cm thick fries. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch, then dry thoroughly on kitchen paper.

2. 2

   Make the gravy

   Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in beef and chicken stock. Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Simmer for 15 minutes until the gravy is smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3. 3

   First fry (blanch)

   Heat oil to 160°C. Fry potatoes in batches for 4–5 minutes until cooked through but not coloured. Drain on kitchen paper.

4. 4

   Second fry (crisp)

   Increase oil temperature to 190°C. Fry potato strips in batches for 3–4 minutes until deep golden and very crisp. Drain and season with salt immediately.

5. 5

   Assemble and serve

   Place hot fries in a large bowl or plate. Scatter cheese curds generously over the top. Ladle plenty of hot gravy over everything so it begins to melt the curds. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Add pulled pork or smoked meat on top for a loaded poutine.

• •

  Use a mushroom gravy for a vegetarian version.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated but fries will soften.