Classic Poutine Recipe For National Poutine Day
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April 11th is National Poutine Day. Poutine is Canadian comfort food, made with French fries, cheese curds, and gravy. There’s a classic poutine recipe below, followed by recipes with add-on approaches to poutine. In addition to National Poutine Day, there’s La Poutine Week, an annual, nationwide Canadian food festival and competition held from February 1st to 7th, where more than 500 restaurants across Canada create and showcase unique, specialty poutine variations. (Note to self: Make travel plans.) Thanks to Wyke Farms, makers of Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar, a recent Top Pick of The Week. Of course at Wyke, the recipe uses the same high-quality curds as would become Ivy’s Cheddar. But all cheese curds are delicious! Cheese curds, by the way, are small pieces of curdled milk with a mild, Cheddar-like flavor. That’s because if the curds continued to be stirred and folded in a process known as cheddaring, they knit together and can be pressed into molds to make Cheddar cheese. While you can check out the longer history of poutine, as a quick note about the name. Even though the dish is relatively recent (1950s), scholars disagree about the origin. What is agreed is that the dish originated in Centre-du-Québec. Within the area, several towns and families lay claim to the creation of poutine. In Warwick, Fernand Lachance of Café Ideal (later renamed Le Lutin Qui Rit [the laughing elf) has said that he first added cheese curds to fries in 1957, at the request of Eddy Lainesse, a regular customer, in 1957. Lachance reportedly replied, “ça va te faire une maudite poutine!” (“that will make a damned mess!”), before serving up the concoction in a paper bag. The combination became popular, with diners customizing the dish by adding ketchup or vinegar. In 1963, Lachance began to serve the dish on a plate to contain the mess left on his tables. When customers complained that the fries grew cold too quickly on the plate, he doused the fries and curds with gravy to keep them warm. And so was created the unofficial national dish of Canada! Below: Elsewhere on The Nibble: > The different types of cheese. > The year’s 30 cheese holidays. > The year’s 30 potato Holidays. We like lots of curds, so doubled the mount in the original recipe. Prep time is 30 minutes. 1. PLACE the French fries on a large baking tray and cook according to packet instructions. In the meantime… 2. MAKE the gravy. Heat the butter in a large frying pan and add the onions. Cook gently over low heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and slightly caramelized. Sprinkle in the flour to coat the onions and fry for another minute. 3. POUR in the stock gradually, whisking continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy has thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve. 4. WHEN the fries are golden, top with the curds and return to the oven for 2 – 3 minutes to melt the cheese. When melted and oozy… 5. REMOVE from the oven, place in a serving bowl or plate individually, and generously pour the gravy over the fries. Place any remaining in a pitcher or in a bowl for dipping. |
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 [8] This sophisticated take adds trumpet mushrooms and green peas, and substitutes classy French béchamel sauce for the generic brown gravy. Here’s the recipe (photo © Idaho Potato Commission (photo © Idaho Potato Commission). CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.
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