I feel like I sound like a broken record.  Again.. Sorry I haven’t posted.  Life is busy.  Etc.  With an upcoming trip, three classes (one of which is science… I hate science), work drama, and a crazy (in a good way) husband, life just seems to be whizzing by.  I haven’t been cooking much at all, but to get me back into the swing of things, I thought I would start by making one of our favorites for a cold winter day: poutine!

A mix of french fries, gravy, and cheese curds, poutine–also known as disco fries–is a traditional Canadian recipe.  No one quite knows where it originated, but everyone does agree on one thing: it is a coronary-inducing delicacy.  It has been dubbed Canada’s National Dish, and it varies from region to region.  Depending on where you are and who is making it, the gravy can be chicken, beef, or anything in between.  It can be basic with just gravy, cheese curds, and french fries, or it can have meat, seafood, or a wide variety of other additions.  It is so popular that even fast food chains have their own versions (McPoutine is a thing apparently).

I have always wanted to travel to Canada.  From the Canadian Rockies to the fresh seafood in Vancouver to the metropolis of Toronto, it seems like magical place.  What I would give to hike through the vast wilderness of Canada and take in the picturesque views and the untamed wildlife.

For my dish, I am just going to make a basic version of poutine that we eat often.  Usually, we don’t put much effort into it, hence the frozen french fries, but if you are up to making homemade french fries, be my guest.  Feel free to add whatever you would like–you will only enhance the dish (and the amount of calories)!

Canadian Poutine

• 1 bag of thin frozen french fries
• 1 bag of white cheese curds
• Butter
• Flour
• Chicken stock
• Garlic
• Ketchup
• Worcestershire sauce

Preheat your oven to the directed temperature on the package of french fries.  While these cook, heat up a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.  Melt 1/4 cup of butter in the pan.  Once melted, add 1/4 cup of flour to the pan and immediately start whisking together to form a roux.  Once your flour is completely incorporated, add the chopped garlic and 1/2 cup of chicken stock and let the stock heat up.  Once it matches the temperature of the roux, whisk together.

Keep adding chicken stock and repeating this step until you have a thin consistency (remember–once your gravy cools it will become thicker).  Once you have the consistency you like, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and ketchup (I didn’t believe it either when I read a recipe calling for ketchup, but it does add something to gravy).  Whisk all together until you reach a smooth consistency.

About five minutes before the fries are read to come out of the oven, pull the sheet pan out and add 3/4 of the cheese curds that you plan to use.  Word of advice–less is more with cheese curds.  Place the sheet pan back in the oven.

Once the fries are done, remove them from the oven.  The cheese should be starting to melt as well. Dish the fries into a bowl, cover with gravy, and top with the remaining cheese curds.  Enjoy!