Subscribe by EmailLa poutine: How to make the ultimate geek food
September 21, 2007 by Kiltak |A while ago, I wrote a post about a Japanese Pizza Hut pizza titled: “Pizza Hut’s double roll pie is the ultimate geek food“. I didn’t realize then how wrong I was on the subject.
Last night when I got home, my wife said, “Honey, I feel like eating a Joe Bob poutine.” (I’ll get back to the Joe Bob thing later.) Excited, I took my keys, jumped into the truck, and headed over to our local fast-food joint. While driving, I realized that the “poutine” was in fact the ultimate geek food for us here in “La belle province“, and not that disgusting Japanese excuse for pizza.
I really don’t see why it shouldn’t be that way for the rest of the world! This is probably the only post I’ll ever write about my local “fine-cuisine,” so enjoy it while it lasts.
How to make a poutine and its many variations:
The poutine (poo-teen) is a very versatile dish that can be served as a side dish to hot dogs and hamburgers, or can be eaten as a main dish. It is also a very popular choice to set your stomach right after a night of heavy drinking.
What you need:
1- French fries. You can make your own or buy them in the frozen section of your grocery store. I usually go for the frozen stuff. It’s a lot less messy, and they only take a few minutes to prepare.
2- The sauce. Here’s a basic recipe for poutine sauce:
- 1 quart stock of chicken or veal
- 2 ounces of flour
- 2 ounces of butter or oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
First, bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan. Then, combine the butter and the flour and cook over high heat, stirring the mixture until everything simmers (two to three minutes). Then, bring the heat down and let simmer for around 35 minutes. Don’t forget to stir the sauce frequently. When you’re done, strain the sauce through a strainer lined with cheesecloth, and add salt and pepper to taste. If you want your sauce to be thicker, lower the heat to medium and let it reduce further.
And if you are like me, just take some pre-prepared (powder form) brown or BBQ sauce (like the stuff they use on chicken). Much easier that way!
3- A bag of fresh cheese curds. You want those to be really fresh! How can you tell? When you eat a piece, they have to squeak loudly in your mouth. If you can’t find that kind of cheese, you can use grated cheddar or mozzarella, but it’s not as good.
When you have all the ingredients handy, follow these instructions:
- Dump a bit of cheese curds on the bottom of a bowl
- Cover them with lots of fries
- Cover the fries with a good fistful of curds
- Pour sauce on top of everything
- Enjoy
Sounds disgusting? Maybe, but it’s absolutely delicious. Here are a few extras you can add to your poutine:
- Fried onions
- Chopped hot dog sausages
- Chicken
- Peas (I can’t stand them)
- Replace the traditional sauce with a Bolognese or Marinara one. We call this an Italian poutine.
Get the idea? Use you imagination. I’m sure you’ll come up with some fantastic variations.
Oh and about that Joe Bob thing: it’s the name of a poutine served in my home town. It’s a regular poutine, but the chef adds some fried onions and chopped hot dog sausages to the mess. It’s extremely good (just not for your behind!).
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I don’t have a French accent, so I’m not sure I even know how to pronounce “poutine”.
You can have all you want Kiltak. I think I will stick with ketchup. ;p
And dude, you do not know what you’re missing. Try it sometimes!
Rob
as long the potatoes are fresh and not frozen.
blanche first than cook
Pierre
This stuff is the best, though one has to limit the number of times one eats it, or else pay the consequence in the long term.
There is even one restaurant here in Montreal that switches the BBQ sauce for foie-gras. Haven’t had a chance to taste this version, but I’m told it’s delectable!!
We took our honeymoon in BC/Alberta (Vancouver to Banff and back) and had poutine 2 or 3 times in the week we were there. I think I even saw it on the menu at McDonald’s.
What could be better than fries, cheese and gravy?
The real beauty is in its simplicity.
Big Mac + Huge coke + poutine = Most unhealthy combination ever.
Sad some would consider a shame for that delicacy to be the unofficial national dish in Quebec, if not Canada.
For the tasters, it’s much better to avoid McDonald’s, which I consider one of the worst I’ve ever tasted. Their fries are just not made for this mix. Better choices are from the Quebec fast food chains, La Belle Province/Lafleur/Valentine, or the local brand of higher-grade fast food. I think every major city in Quebec has it’s own famous “poute”.
It’s actually true that Poutine is an excellent dish to settle your stomach after consuming too much booze. The absorbing quality of this big mass will keep some alcohol from reaching your liver too fast.
I’m a French Canadian Myself, and you know what? I don’t give a damn about the way people say “poutine”.
I personnaly welcome our Poutine Overlord.
”La Pataterie” Rulez.
There’s this place in Victoriaville that serves poutine in huge aluminum buckets. Drool.
I love poutine!!!!
we dont have that in ontario
although its readily available everywhere else
The part about: “Then, bring the heat down and let simmer for around 35 minutes. Don’t forget to stir the sauce frequently.” is especially un-geeklike because it is an annoyance, and would thrust the cost/benefit of this dish to incredible heights.
I suppose if I had someone who would make it for me, I would be able to enjoy it, but unfortunately my girlfriend is a geek too.
“And if you are like me, just take some pre-prepared (powder form) brown or BBQ sauce (like the stuff they use on chicken). Much easier that way!”
The sauce isn’t really anything special, we just use Gravy.
But cheese curds are a must…
Talk about a international delicacy!
It is not a joke…
a montrealer how now lives in japan, serves poutine to the japanees!
I think it’s more a Victorian thing, but it’s always consumed at about 4am after a big night on the piss. Good stuff.
Poutine kicks tons of ass and its true the gravy is not the most important part it being boilingly scaldingly hot is to melt the cheese in strings & curds to string properly.
A fun variation is spicy fry poutine
mmmmmmmmmmm,
D
i would kill for a poutine right now….seriously.
I was born in Quebec, and their, the stuff is sold on McDonalds menus, even high class restaurants server it.
True poutine has to be made with “poutine” sauce, and the recipe for homemade up there seems like a good one.
Also, the fries should be fried, although if you bake them it works, Frying them is much better, but that my opinion.
Nice choice in food. Now i don’t have to hound my mom to get me some poutine sauce from her mom.
I live in the Ottawa area and they’re a few good places to get some pouter..
1) Archie’s, great little chip wagon out in Dunrobin. They make a double where they put curds and gravy half way.
2) ESD (Elgin Street Diner), They have about 6 or so different kinds, my favs are the Smoked Meat and Philly Steak.
I do miss just being able to buy it from a fast food restaurant when I’m in the mood for it.
So if poutine is really the ultimate geek food. Believe me I am one MAJOR geek. lol.
Besides that, I agree it should be considered the geekest food ever, as it’s even more enjoyable eating it in front of the computer while downloading stuff or playing games. Or even downloading poutine recipes.
For thoses who havent tried it yet, i strongly recommend it, do it yourself or even better; come in Quebec and try local fastfood like Ashton (the creator of poutine) or Stratos (they usually put lots of cheese in your too big poutine). For home made, a little St-Hubert can of sauce is best.
After eight months i’ve been in the west, nobody does poutine like in Quebec!
And one of my favorite variation is “patate sauce et choux”, where you replace the cheese curds with shredded raw cabbage.