A Taste of Canada: Poutine recipe

how to make poutine

Poutine, a wildly popular, classic Canadian comfort food, was originally created in Quebec in the 1950s. Although not the prettiest dish (the name even means “mess” in Quebecois slang), this meal of french fries with cheese curds topped with a brown gravy is delicious and easy to recreate in your own kitchen.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 90 minutes
Recipe serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 140g cheese curds (torn or cut into small chunks)

For the gravy

• 400g chicken wings
• 5 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 50g butter
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• 500ml chicken stock
• 500ml beef stock
• 4 garlic gloves (crushed)

For the chips

• 1.5kg potatoes
• Sunflower oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• • To make the gravy, cover the chicken wings in 1tbsp of flour, then heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Fry the chicken wings until browned on all sides. Set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft and turning brown at the edges
  • When the onions are cooked, add the remaining 4 tbsp of flour and stir well. Put the chicken wings back in the pan and add the carrot, bay leaf, stocks and garlic
  • Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve into another pan and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until thick
  • To make the chips, scrub the potatoes but leave the skin on. Chop into chunky chips and put them in a bowl filled with cold water
  • Pour the sunflower oil into a large pan until it is just less than half full, then heat until it reaches 125°C. Drain the chips from the water and pat dry with a clean tea towel. When the oil is ready, carefully lower 1/4 of the chips into the pan. Fry for 12 minutes, then remove and lay on a wire rack covered with kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining chips. When they have all had their first fry, increase the temperature to 190°C and fry the chips in small batches again, this time for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle the chips with salt once done, keeping them warm on a wire rack or grill tray in a low oven while you fry the rest
  • To serve, pile the chips into a bowl, pour over the warm gravy and top with pieces of cheese

Interested in visiting Quebec to discover more French-Canadian gastronomy? Browse our selection of tailormade holidays to Quebec.