Canada – Poutine

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First off we have to procure FRESH cheese curds. Fresh curds will squeak on the teeth when eaten. When
Little Miss Muffet sat on the Tuffet (whatever that is?) she ate homemade cheese in its own liquid. Curd is
the part of the milk that contains the fat solids and is another way of saying cheese. Whey is the liquid in
milk that we will extract to get the curds.

Making cheese can be a very simple procedure, like today’s recipe, or can involve weeks or months of
careful sanitary chemistry designed to produce a variety of textures, flavors and degrees of funkiness
depending on the style of cheese. The recipe below is simple, relatively quick and does not require
enzymes or bacterial cultures. The end result is a tasty, soft cheese ball that can be broken down or
crumbled onto your Poutine. A quick Google search will provide ample info on the more technical
varieties of cheese that you can make at home.

I give this dish a 1-2 rating for difficulty. It is surprisingly easy to make and assemble the parts for
Poutine. The end result is well worth the hassle.

Components listed in order of preparation.

Cheese Curds Ingredients:

1 gallon 2% milk

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Heat the milk to 190F. You will need a thermometer for other cheeses but you can get by here turning
off the heat just before the milk begins to boil.

2. Add the vinegar and allow the mixture to cool. You will see the curds separate from the whey at this
point.

3. When cool, pour the mixture, (which now consists of curds and whey as in Miss Muffet food) into a
colander and drain off the whey through cheesecloth. Tie the cheesecloth into a ball compressing the
cheese in order to squeeze out the excess whey. Allow to hang for about 3 hrs to drain and dry. Tying the
cheesecloth to a kitchen cabinet door handle with a bowl underneath will work nicely.

4. Cut open the cheesecloth and break the cheese into pieces or use a knife to cut it up. Pour the curds into
a bowl and sprinkle on the salt and mix well. You may wish to use less salt or more. It is simply a matter of
taste which is the next step. You can add a little cream for a silky texture.

The next step is the Fries. You can use a frozen bagged French fry if you want, but true Poutine uses
hand cut fresh fries, generally using potatoes from Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province
located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence off the coasts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Island is an
agriculture center growing everything from Mussels and Oysters to our Potatoes, which are similar to an
Idaho Spud. We will be substituting Russet Potatoes which produce a nice crispy and starchy end product
since we cannot get the real thing.

Fries Ingredients:

4 medium Potatoes, washed and sliced into lengths about 1/8 inch in diameter and 2-4 inches in length.

2 quarts frying oil, peanut or vegetable oil

A large cast iron Dutch oven or Deep Fat Fryer

Salt

Preparation:

Cut the potatoes and soak the fries in cold water in a bowl for about ½ hour.

Heat the oil in the Dutch oven or fryer to 350-375F

Remove the fries from the water and pat them dry with paper towels

Add half the fries to the hot oil and fry for 8-12 minutes till they float and become golden brown.

Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet, salt to taste, and place in a warm oven while cooking
subsequent batches.

Add the second half of the fries to the oil and repeat the process.

Let the oil cool and strain it back into the original containers and freeze for subsequent use.

Makes about 2# fries.

The final step is the gravy. This gravy is actually a reduced Veloute or silky chicken gravy made with a
roux of flour and butter with chicken stock. Add fresh chopped garlic for a delicious layer of flavor.

Veloute Ingredients:

4 tbsp Flour

1 stick butter

1 container of Chicken stock or broth approx 1 liter

3 cloves garlic finely chopped.

Preparation:

In a sauce pan, heat the butter till it melts.

Add the garlic and allow to cook for 1 minute.

In a small mixing bowl combine the flour with 1 cup of the stock.

Whisk till it is smooth.

Slowly combine with the simmering butter and garlic.

Whisk to get out any lumps.

Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes to darken the roux.

Add the remaining stock slowly while whisking till you have about 4 cups of gravy.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Use a spoon to skim the “skin” that forms on the surface before each whisking.

Whisk regularly to maintain the consistency and avoid burning.

Allow the mixture to further reduce by simmering till it reaches the thickness you prefer.

Makes about 4 cups

POUTINE - To assemble the Poutine, place 1# of Fries on a plate.

Add about 1 cup of the cheese curd to the top of the fries.

Ladle the gravy over the top of the cheese and fries. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes so the cheese and gravy
begin to work together.

Serve immediately afterwards.

I highly recommend an ice cold Molson Canadian or Labatt’s Blue to complement the salty silky delicious
Poutine. Bon Appetite and Vive Le Canada!

Cheese making: http://schmidling.com/making.htm