Guru Poutine—Two Ways
In the world of comfort foods poutine is always in the top five. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s rich, crispy, salty, saucy, cheesy. And every other “y” you can think of.
In its simplest form poutine is homemade French fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. Cheese curds can be hard to find, so substitute with good quality cheese like sharp cheddar, gouda, Havarti, goat cheese, feta, etc.
These recipes take the Canadian bar food staple and put a serious Cajun spin on them.
Making homemade French fries will result in the best poutine, but it is labor intensive. Store bought frozen fries work very well.
Homemade French Fries
Ingredients:
- 4 large Russet potatoes
- 1 quart Vegetable oil
Equipment:
- 2 or 3 sheet pans with cooling racks
- Thermometer
- Wire strainer
- Mandolin (optional)
Method:
- Peeling the potatoes is not necessary, but washing is.
- Set up mandolin, if using, to cut ¼” X ¼” sticks.
- Heat oil to 250°F
- Add just enough potatoes to cover the bottom, and fry for 15 minutes or until floating and sizzling is very slow.
- Remove to wire racks and repeat process until all potatoes are fried.
- Make sure the fries are not touching on the cooling racks.
- Once cooled, place in freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Heat oil to 425°.
- From frozen, fry potatoes in small batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove, drain, and season with Louisiana Love.
Cajun Stew Gravy
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 cup Sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium White onion (sliced)
- 1 quart Water
- 3-4 tablespoons Dark roux
- 2 links Cajun sausage (cut into half-moons)
- Louisiana Love Seasoning Blends
Method:
- Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once hot add mushrooms and onions, cook stirring frequently until wilted (5-6 minutes), then remove and reserve.
- Place a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add water.
- Once boiling, add roux a tablespoon at a time until a stew consistency is achieved.
- Reduce heat to simmer, add sausage, and season to taste.
- Stir in onions and mushrooms.
Shrimp and Tasso Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 cup Sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium White onion (sliced)
- 1 cup Dry white wine
- 1 quart Heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon Corn starch (dissolved in cold water)
- 8 ounces Tasso (diced)
- 8 ounces Louisiana shrimp (61-80 count)
- Louisiana Love Seasoning Blends to taste
Method:
- Sauté mushrooms and onion in olive oil until wilted.
- Place a heavy pot over medium-high heat, adding wine and cream.
- Once boiling, stir in corn starch solution and reduce heat to simmer.
- Add shrimp, tasso, and season to taste.
- Cook until shrimp are pink.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
Bringing It All Together
Poutine is assembled by placing the fries in a plate, then cheeses, followed by gravy of choice.
This is one dish you will make again and again.
Stay hungry.