The Ontario Broker - Volume 23, Issue 3 - 54

LIFESTYLE
Deema Elshourfa
POUTINE, EH?
T
he truth is that there is no
one " national dish " of Canada.
We're made up of so many
different ethnicities, cultures
and backgrounds. For our Indigenous
communities, they might point to Bannock
as a national dish. For Chinese Canadians,
ginger beef is a dish that might personify
their unique Canadian immigration
experience and history. But the closest
thing to a national dish that most people
would agree represents Canada today is
the mighty poutine.
The dish originated in Quebec snack
bars in the late 50s, but its popularity has
quickly grown. You can now find it on
every chip truck, fast food chain, pub or
restaurant menu across the country. It's
exceedingly simple: fries, gravy and cheese
curds. However, you can find basically
every iteration out there (to varying levels
of success). Here's a recipe for a classic
poutine, no funny business.
Of course, feel free to experiment. But
there's nothing like the original. As with
any recipe, the quality of the ingredients
will dictate how good it tastes. My
suggestion: get good quality cheese curds
and use flavourful beef and chicken broth.
It will make a world of difference.
STEPS
1. Wash potatoes well-peeling optional. Cut potatoes into sticks of whatever thickness you
prefer. I like to keep them in the range of 1/2 " . Cover and soak potatoes in cold water for at
least 2 hours for maximum crispiness. Then drain and dry on paper towel.
2. Combine cornstarch and water. If you let it sit, you might need to stir again right before
adding to the gravy.
3. In a pan, melt down butter over medium heat. Once bubbling, sprinkle flour over the butter.
Stir continuously until the mixture turns golden brown. This will take anywhere from 4-7
minutes depending on your stove. This is called preparing a roux. The deeper the colour of
your roux, the more intense flavour you'll get from your gravy. If the roux has burned at any
point, just start over, otherwise your gravy will have a bitter and burnt taste.
4. Add in your beef and chicken broth and whisk. Bring this mixture to a boil while whisking
regularly. Once the mixture is at a boil, begin adding your cornstarch mixture and reduce
to a simmer. The purpose of the cornstarch mixture is to thicken your gravy, so start with a
little and add more as necessary depending how thick you like your gravy. If your gravy is too
thick, just add a little water to thin it out.
5. Add salt and pepper to your gravy to taste and reduce heat to the lowest setting.
6. Add oil (I use vegetable oil) to your deep fryer or a deep and wide pot. If you're using a pot,
you don't need to fill it completely with oil. Just put enough so the oil is 1-2 " deep. Heat until
it gets to 300°F.
7. Carefully add your fries to the oil (don't let them splash!) and cook for a few minutes. Don't
let your fries get any colour. You want them to just start to cook. This will take about 4-5
minutes. You may need to do
this in batches. Once the fries
are done, remove from the
oil and place on a wire rack or
paper towel-lined bowl.
INGREDIENTS
(8 SERVINGS)
1.5-2 lbs Russet potatoes
1-1.5 cups white cheddar cheese
curds
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
Vegetable oil
8. Increase the oil's temperature
to 375°F. Then carefully return
fries to the oil and cook until
golden. This will only take a
few minutes, so keep an eye on
them. Once done, immediately
remove and add to a papertowel
lined bowl.
9. Once fries are done, remove
and discard paper towel.
Season fries with salt. If your
gravy is on the salty side, don't
add too much salt to your fries.
10. Put it all together. Place fries
in a bowl and top with cheese
curds and pour over gravy.
Enjoy immediately!
Insurance Defence Lawyer, Evangelista
Barristers & Solicitors
@deema_eats
54
The Ontario Broker

The Ontario Broker - Volume 23, Issue 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Ontario Broker - Volume 23, Issue 3