Poor Man Canadian Poutine Recipes

AUTHENTIC CANADIAN POUTINE

Steps:

• Prepare the gravy: In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns golden brown.
• Add the beef and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Stir in about HALF the cornstarch mixture and simmer for a minute or so. If you'd like your gravy thicker, add a more of the cornstarch mixture, in small increments, as needed, to thicken. Season with pepper. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary, to taste. Make ahead and re-warm or keep warm until your fries are ready.
• For Deep-Fried Fries: Prepare your potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks. Place into a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Allow to stand at least one hour or several hours. When ready to cook, heat your oil in your deep fryer or large, wide, heavy cooking pot to 300° F.
• Remove the potatoes from the water and place onto a sheet of paper towel. Blot to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
• Add your fries to the 300°F oil and cook for 5-8 minutes, just until potatoes are starting to cook but are not yet browned. Remove potatoes from oil and scatter on a wire rack. Increase oil temperature to 375°F Once oil is heated to that temperature, return the potatoes to the fryer and cook until potatoes are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl.
• To Prepare Poutine: Add your fried or baked fries to a large, clean bowl. Season lightly with salt while still warm. Add a ladle of hot poutine gravy to the bowl and using tongs, toss the fries in the gravy. Add more gravy, as needed to mostly coat the fries.
• Add the cheese curds and toss with the hot fries and gravy. Serve with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.

POOR-MAN CANADIAN POUTINE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy skillet to 365°F (185°C).
• Warm gravy in saucepan or microwave.
• Place the fries into the hot oil, and cook until light brown, about 5 minutes.
• Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
• Place the fries on a serving platter, and sprinkle the cheese over them.
• Ladle gravy over the fries and cheese, and serve immediately.

CURDS & WHEY - FOR CANADIAN POUTINE

Steps:

• Heat the water in a very large pot over low heat.
• Stir in the dry milk powder as the water heats.
• Heat it gently until it is very hot but not boiling.
• Stir in about a cup of vinegar.
• Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes - don't skip this part because the mixture has to sit for the milk to have a chance to curdle.
• After 10 minutes there should be a big clump of white cheese curd in the middle of a pool of clear amber liquid.
• If the liquid is still milky, then you need to add more vinegar to finish curdling the milk.
• Add a couple of spoonfuls of vinegar at a time and stir gently so that more of the milk will curdle and clump up.
• Continue until all of the milk is curdled into curds, and the liquid (the whey) is clear.
• Line a strainer or collander with a lightly damp thin cotton cloth.
• Carefully pour the big pot of curds and whey into the strainer and let all of the whey strain off.
• Run a little cold water over the curds to cool them down, and to rinse out all of the whey.
• Squeeze the curds with your fingers to break them up, and rinse them thoroughly.
• Gather up the cloth around the curds and squeeze to remove as much of the moisture as you can - the curds should be quite dry.
• Transfer the cheese curds to a bowl or container and stir in the salt.