The soccer World Cup has done more than show off mad ball skills and funny or curious national ways of celebrating success and participation. It also acted as a gateway to the discussion and discovery of traditional and fresh international cuisine.
The Scots presented the world with haggis and Irn Bru, Cape Verde put cachupa stew on the international stage, and co-hosts Canada got to show off poutine to global gormands. While travelling fans were stunned by the US approach to biscuits and gravy, among many other diet-busting delights.
Photo by Horizon Content
What is Poutine?
Poutine originated in Quebec, the French-speaking part of Canada. Lore has it the dish was invented by mistake, as with many fine foods, by a trucker that wanted his dish of chips and cheese warmed up, so the chef added gravy.
A triple threat food, poutine sees a hefty load of thick-cut fries covered in cheese curds, not grated cheese. This is topped off with a beef-and-chicken stock gravy, typically thickened with a flour-and-butter roux for a glossy consistency that also melts the curd, creating a gooey and delicious taste sensation.
With Labor Day and Thanksgiving fast approaching, why not add poutine to your menu and impress friends and family at your next cookout or dining event? While poutine might come with that home-cooked vibe, it is big business in Canada, with the likes of McDonald’s poutine, a popular choice but likely far removed from any traditional recipe.
Those on a diet should note that a typical portion contains around 700 calories thanks to the high fat content, but that’s a small price to pay for such a delicious, warming and filling meal that makes an ideal lunch in autumn or winter.
How to Make Your Own Poutine
Poutine starts with the gravy. Pro-level cooks use chicken wings, plus equal amounts of chicken and beef stock for the base. Many recipes add in finely diced onion, carrot, garlic and some butter to add depth of flavor.
Maris piper potatoes are recommended as the source for your fries, thick-cut and deep-fried in sunflower oil. Double frying creates poutine’s signature crispy-yet-fluffy texture, with a 12-minute initial fry at 250 degrees and a further five minutes at 375 degrees to add the crisp.
To serve, form a base with the fries, and pour over the gravy (heated if you stored it). Then, tear the cheese curd into pieces (you can use mozzarella if you can’t find curd in your local shop, but as a tip, cheese curd is popular in international grocery stores). Let it all melt together, and enjoy that traditional squeak of the curd and the soft but crispy fries.
Finding Poutine Across Canada and the USA
Canada takes poutine very seriously, with a World Poutine Eating Championship kicking off in September. While your take on the dish might not be up to international competition standards, it is a meal that is easy to create and prepare in bulk for a family occasion or store for a social event.
If you head up to Canada for work or holiday, you can try poutine first-hand in the nation’s largest city across Toronto’s many restaurants, with the likes of Hemingway’s and The Fortunate Fox all renowned for their poutine dishes.
Montreal is billed as the finest destination for poutine, sparking much inter-city rivalry, but most of that bravado is pure marketing. You can head to almost any small town or local diner and find a hearty portion of poutine, just as good as that found in big-city restaurants.
As a warmer on a cold Ontario day or when chilling up in the mountains, it is easy to see why poutine is such a popular dish among Canadians, and heading south as more Americans become aware of the recipe.
Naturally, some American restaurants have jumped on the bandwagon as part of the loaded fries explosion. You can find poutine in New York (with mozzarella) delis, Detroit diners and as far south as Arizona food trucks (The American Poutine Co.) selling their authentic recipe.
Wherever you discover poutine, making your own is the best way to experience the dish, perhaps with a Canadian beer or cider, or ginger beer as the perfect accompaniment.
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