For those of you who didn't know, there's such a thing in this wonderful world as poutine. As far as I can surmise, it is only found in Canada (though some asshole in Jersey is trying to pass off some bullshit Disco Fries as a facsimile when it is a totally different thing). Poutine is - wait for it - French fries topped with cheese curds and smothered with rich beef gravy. Did your arteries just slam shut in blissful "whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis" ecstasy? I thought so.
Scott and I hunted some down in Vancouver, but it wasn't that great. It was kidney stone salty, and the gravy was runny and sogged the fries. I didn't give it much more thought until yesterday, when I got a big old bee in my bonnet about poutine. I wanted desperately to eat poutine after going to the gym (hell, I wanted to eat it at the gym). Oh, this was on.
Last night I made my own, from scratch. With real squeaky cheese curds that took a phone call to source. And salty, homemade sweet potato steak fries for umami-sweet. And homemade gravy from beef and veal demiglace for consummate boner induction. This was so good, I feel like throwing an extra "motherfucking" in. Motherfucking.
It was incredibly fast and easy, too. I hand-cut the sweet potato into thick steak fries and microwaved them with a splash of water for 4 minutes to parcook (this saves a LOT of cooking time). Then I tossed them in a little vegetable oil and kosher salt and baked them at 450 for about 15 minutes. Whilst the fries were getting brown and crisped of edge, I whipped up hella fast gravy by spooning a couple globs of demi into a small pan and adding a jam jar of water shaken up with a few spoonfuls of flour. Simmer for 10 minutes until glossy and thick as a gravy wanna be.
We enjoyed this healthful dinner (it's actually only like 250 calories for half of the whole bowl - not that I'm counting) with a nice green salad and ham-and-biscuit sliders. Oh don't worry your pretty lil' head, I'll tell you all about that tomorrow. Also, stay tuned for future installments of my new poutine obsession. I'm thinking a post-Thanksgiving Poutine Galvaude with turkey confit.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sweet Potato Poutine
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
39 comments:
Yummy, yummy, yummy! My first stop when I go back home is always for a huge plate of poutine. I guess now I have to source some curds and do it myself...Hmmm...Peter is from Canada!
I don't think I've ever heard of this before - but this looks good! For real!
-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Okay, after camping out on your site while I made dinner, I figured I'd finally say something. I could eat it all -- especially w/ the low cal count. Now. Where to locate cheese curds in San Diego...I know I've seen them...
Ohmymotherfuckinggod. Brava.
I have been wanting to try poutine, but it hadn't even occurred to me that I could make my own. And we have a cheese curds vendor at the farmers market! I'll just get the fries from (whisper, whisper...).
(Kelly: try A&W, really, for cheese curds.)
Squeak, squeak!
Aah! Poutine! Confession-- I always thought it had cheez wiz (cheese weese?) on top, not actual cheese. This version looks so much better than the one I had in my head. (so, what are disco fries like?)
Thanks for the tip with the gravy too! Now I feel like buying a jar of demiglace. (Please don't tell me I have to make my own...)
Tabarnak! That would be RETARDED with confit on top. You're a putain for poutine... I can see the ad now.
Judy - Yes, he is. Maybe he can hook you up!
Darius - It is a phenomenon from our friends to the north. It is the shit.
Kelly - Once you start looking for them, I think you'll be surprised at how easy it is to find curds.
Cookie - I thought about using frozen, store-bought fries, but they have so much weird crap in them. And the sweet potato fries were calling.
Mark - Cheez Whiz. Yum. Speaking of chemicals in food, I love that shit. Disco Fries is just with regular cheese and gravy.
Jube - You are a master of punnery. And French Canadian slang, evidently. You can't wait to eat poutine with confit.
Just the fact that you started with sweet potato fries was enough to sink the hook. I had never heard of poutine before. I guess I'll be seeing it all over the place now!
OMG!!! I had poutine everyday while I was in Montreal in July. I miss it! Did you know poutine (at least in Montreal) is made with horse fat? I'm gonna have to make some this weekend (and I even have a tub of demi in the fridge):-)
"wach-u-talkin-about-willis!"...LOL@ Different strokes! Poutine is something I only learned about this year so I find the whole combination interesting...can I have extra gravy?
Nice review.
I'll have to try this. Yummy!
http://ilovefoodblog.blogspot.com/
You crack me up. I think it's definitely worthy of another MF. I've never had anything like it before but I am sure I'll be dreaming of it when I go to sleep tonight. Delicious! Great photos too.
I really enjoyed reading this!!! I am soooo looking forward to some poutine when I get back to Canada this December. Maybe I will try this method and make it myself. Cheers!!
In Quebec where poutine is a national treasure there are poutine watches to see where the bect poutine can be had. Here I have to rely on New York Fries chain but they calm my fix:D I made my own just the other day by buying fries and gravy from the best place in town and a bag of squeaky cheese from the market...assemble and voila!!
Um...
Wow!
Yeah, whatever this is called, I'm making it!
I'm changing my name to Poutine.
Poutine is the friend I love to hang out with, but is such a bad influence on me.
I LOVE this idea!
Jesus. Amazing. I've never had poutine (though they sell it at the fries-only takeout place down the street) but I bet yours was better than most.
Do you make demiglace? Or buy?
re: putain for poutine. hilarious. and would make a great tshirt.
when I was an exchange student in high school i had NO idea what the first word meant, and thought everyone just kept saying "plus tard! plus tard!" and that just didn't make sense.
Oh that has to be in my belly right away. Cheese curds and gravy?!?! Only the Canadians. I love it.
I often get poutine when we're visitng Toronto or Kingston, but as much as I'm obsessed with it, I'm often disappointed by mediocre, salty gravy.
I can't wait to try your version!
Toni - I can't figure out why it hasn't swept the nation yet, honestly.
Marc - Whoa! (heh, punny) I didn't know that. I wonder what that tastes like? You can make your own without a Frydaddy full of horse fat, though. :)
Petah - Of course you can have extra gravy.
You Love Food Blog - Yes, you will. Do it!
Pammycakes - Can I call you Pammycakes? I think we're at that point in our relationship now. You should make this.
Michael - If you get tired of fufu and stew, then poutine would really hit the spot.
Valli - In Vancouver there's a place called Palm Fritz (get it? pomme frites?) that looked great, but it's tiny and was always packed to the rafters. It's downtown.
Donald - Oh, necessarily.
Nikki - You bet! I could use a hot blonde for some side action. I'll come stay with you in your Spanish villa.
Poutine - I guess Innagottabadeeba is pretty hard to spell, isn't it.
Elle - What, does it convince you to try hard drugs, and sex with strangers?
Maggie - I just buy it. I have a good source (all natural) that ends up being cheaper than the price of veal bones, and saves my kitchen from turning into a meaty sauna.
Brooke - Canadians can be pretty clever when they want to, eh?
kwr221 - The overly salty gravy totally ruins it. But the sweet potatoes go so well with salt that it's just right!
Where did you find cheese curds in Portland?!
I can't believe the Canadians thought of this before those crazy Wisconsinites. After all, there are cheese curds involved...
Anyhow - Love the combo with the sweet tater fries. Even better than the original.
Im mad you didn't fry those sweets. But I know how you feel about deep frying. But for real, don't be scared. You're a tough broad. You can handle it. Whip that deep fryer's ass some time. For real. It needs it.
Wow... I'm torn. I come from the land of poutine (Montreal) and there is an unwritten rule that you cannot mess with the holy trinity of ingredients and call it a poutine. Even the use of grated cheese instead of cheese curds is considered sacrilegious. So, the substitution of sweet potatoes doesn't still all that well. All this being said,this looks absolutely amazing and I will try it out... i just won't call it a poutine.
I've never had poutine, but holy hell I need to--that sounds (and looks) awesome. Consummate boner induced
Awesome!!! this looks way better than the original "french fry" version. Nice stuff.
ok... since being in montreal a few weeks ago i've been wanting to eat this again. we totally wanted to make this! sweet potatoes... nice touch.
Rebecca - They have 'em at New Seasons, and Tillamook makes them too.
Lo - I know! I always thought this should've been a Wisconsin thing, don'tchaknow.
Nikki - They were really good without frying. I'm telling you, it's too much a mess!
Chris - Well, what will you call it? ;)
Mike - It's a thing, man. Make some (you can totally use real French fries).
Matt - I crave the beta carotene, plus the sweetness with gravy is so good.
Amy - You should! I plan on making this a regular thing.
I am counting caloried these days, and this just gave me a hypothetical stiffy.
Pu-tang is awesome! I had it for the first time in Seattle a few weeks ago and though that I would die of delicious! Good work!
Oh My..this is jaw-dropping good...even the Quebecois would dig this...love the gravy you made here.
Tabarnak, what a nice idea for a poutine maison! I'm from Montreal, city of poutine and i totally approve this to try it with sweet potatoes!!!
Brittany - It's low-cal!
Alicia - I'm sorry, did I say it makes my arteries hard? 'Cuz I meant it makes my dick hard. :D
James - I wish I could get my SO to pitch in around here once in awhile. Robin's luck!
T.A.O. - It is pretty much Robot Jesus. And so easy to make at home! No need to mosey over to Potato Champion.
Peter the Greek - Thank you! The gravy loves you back.
Elise - I'm so glad to hear you say that! Thanks you! Suck it, Chris. :D
That looks so good!
ok first of all - everytime i sign onto your blog, it shrieks at meeeeeeee.
secondly, i honestly and totally love you
no really, i do...
Its me again!
Its been 2 times that i'm eating a Sweet Potato Poutine, and its 2 times in 2 weeks, and i absolutely adore it! I'm making mine with BBQ sauce, i've just finished my plate and i needed to you that!
Haha, Elise! I'm glad you like it. BBQ sauce sounds kind of awesome.
Post a Comment