The Canadian staple has made its way to our area
By Faith Bahadurian
Much as the polar vortex sweeps down on us from Canada, so does poutine, a classic Canadian diner and pub dish whose existence is hard to explain (or rationalize). It originated in Quebec, according to Wikipedia, and consists of French fries topped with cheese curds and a light gravy. There’s room for debate on how the dish got its name, but, as the word seems to connote a mess or a hodgepodge, I would describe poutine in present-day terms as a “hot mess.”
The dish didn’t sound at all appealing when I first came across it at a conference in Montreal years ago. So I avoided the big barn dinner in the countryside on that hot, steamy night that was to feature poutine, and instead went to one of Montreal’s excellent French bistros. Can you blame me?
That was it for me and poutine until I noticed it on a couple menus in our area, and then saw that Trader Joe’s was offering a frozen version with all the components. Of course, I had to try that, and while it wasn’t bad, it seemed like a lot of trouble to heat up all the separate components, compared to just buying frozen fries, prepared gravy, and cheese curds (available at the Amish market and many grocery stores). But I still didn’t think the likely result could win me over.
But then I spied Braised Pork Poutine With Cider Gravy on the February “Festival of Stews” menu at Main Street in the Princeton Shopping Center. So I dragged two friends to dinner, who only looked somewhat askance (they’re used to me) when I ordered the dish. Reader, it was delicious!
First of all, it was not the salty mess that poutine could so easily be. The shredded pork was very nice, the crinkle-cut fries — not too many of them — were crisp and not greasy, and the cider gravy had a piquant touch that offset the richness of the cheese curds and pork. It made for good winter comfort food, I can tell you.
Poutine has appeared on other menus in our area, and you may even notice a resemblance to the New Jersey diner dish of disco fries, usually consisting of melted mozzarella over fries with gravy. Tre Bar in Forrestal Village used to offer poutine with bacon, gravy and fontina cheese, and the one that North End Bistro used to make had provolone instead of curds.
The curds in poutine should be warmed by the gravy, but not melted, so they maintain their squeakiness when you chew them. But I notice the version on the current menu at the Alchemist & Barrister includes pulled short ribs with gravy and melted cheddar cheese, so there’s another way to go.
Poutine can be as upscale or down market as you care to make it. You can use frozen fries or make your own, like in the fancied-up version below. You could purchase “brown” or beef gravy and doctor it up a bit, keeping in mind that it should be a little piquant, so maybe incorporate the vinegar from the list of ingredients below. And, of course, you could use a savory vegetarian gravy too.
Poutine
Adapted from foodnetwork.com and other online sources. 4 servings. If you want to add some cooked, shredded meat, by all means do so. Some of the ingredients in this gussied-up gravy are, to me, quite optional, so, depending on how fancy you want to be, I’ve marked them as such. As I like to say, “Make it your own.” — F.B.<br>
4 to 6 large potatoes (2-3 pounds), peeled (russet or Yukon gold)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
1 shallot, minced (optional)
1 small clove garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium stock (mixed beef and chicken, or your choice)
2 tablespoons ketchup (optional)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional, but I recommend)
1 tablespoon whole green peppercorns (optional)
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese curds
Slice potatoes lengthwise into quarter-inch batons. For extra-crispy fries, soak in cold water at least an hour or up to 24 hours. Drain well and pat thoroughly dry.
For gravy: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan, add shallot and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, ketchup, vinegar, peppercorns and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and make a roux, stirring until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the stock mixture into the roux and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Season the gravy with salt and pepper and keep warm.
For fries: Heat 2 to 3 inches vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees (or use a deep fryer). Fry potatoes in small batches until whitish yellow, about 8 minutes. Remove with a strainer and drain on baking sheet lined with paper towels. Bring the oil temperature to 375 degrees over high heat. Fry the potatoes in batches again until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels. Salt and pepper the fries while hot. Strain the gravy.
Put the fries in shallow dishes; top with the cheese curds and gravy, and serve immediately.
Faith Bahadurian blogs at http://njspice.net (also Twitter @njspice).