Hey y’all! As an absolute food-fanatic, I’m wild about French Canadian marvels, more so, the mouthwatering poutine. Now, that’s an experience you can’t put a price on, it’s as comforting as a warm hug from grandma.
Inspiration struck one Friday evening – I thought, why not take a crack at making poutine from scratch? A kitchen adventure burgeoning with the warmth of home-crisped fries, gobs of fresh, squeaky cheese curds, and homemade gravy, thick as a sweater in winter.
Stumbling upon the perfect potato was a feat in itself, but lo and behold, the starchy Russet ruled the roost! I peeled ’em, sliced ’em, and let them skinny dippers take a plunge into ice-cold water. All in the name of preventing oxidation, of course. Then, I went and fried them twice for that unique twist, with the resulting fries staying just as crispy as a frosty winter morning.
Well, butter my biscuits if it isn’t the cheese curds coming up next – the pièce de résistance. They’re devilishly hard to find fresh, mind you, but trust me when I say – the effort is worth its weight in gold, or in this case, cheese.
Now, on to the gravy – talked about being in a pickle! I decided to stir the pot with a homemade turkey gravy; it was so thick you could stand a spoon in it. Watch it simmer and bubble away to glory.
When it was time to dig in, I removed my apron, fixed my hair and said, Bon Appétit!, my heart beating like a wild drum. And boy, oh, boy. It was love at first bite. The piping hot, gooey, utterly indulgent mess served in my grandma’s old, trustworthy dish somehow whispered, Home.
Ladies and gents, cooking poutine is nothing less than an orchestra of flavours, a dance of textures, where all the elements harmonize, producing the perfect edible symphony. It’s thrilling. It’s chaos. And baby, it’s worth it!
Let’s Get To Work!
- Rinse, peel, and cut 4 large Russet potatoes into fries.
- Soak the cut fries in cold water for about an hour to remove extra starch.
- Drain fries, towel dry them, then toss in a mix of salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan until the temperature of the oil reaches about 375°F.
- Add one handful of fries at a time into the hot oil, do not overcrowd.
- Fry the potatoes until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil to a wire rack to cool.
- Heat your oven to a low setting and transfer fries to keep warm.
- For the gravy, start by melting 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan.
- Add a third of a cup of flour to the butter and whisk until you get a smooth roux, approximately 2 minutes.
- Gradually add in 2 cups of beef broth and 1 cup of chicken broth while whisking continuously.
- Reduce heat and let the gravy simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt and pepper to taste then strain the gravy through a fine mesh strainer.
- To serve, layer a serving of fries, sprinkle with fresh cheese curds, and smother with hot gravy. The cheese should get slightly melted by the gravy.
- Repeat these layers until you have piled up as much poutine as possible.
- Enjoy your homemade poutine immediately. A poutine waits for no one! Let your taste buds take a walk on the wild side!
That was fresh!
