Poutine

Preparation

Poutine is a casse-croûte (snack shack) staple that is now beloved all over North America. French fries topped with fresh cheese curds—the squeakier the better—and a brown gravy. Variations abound from bolognese sauce and peas to cut-up hot dogs, but as with most things, the original is always the best. The sauce here is essentially a rich brown sauce, usually made with chicken and beef stock and thickened with a roux. Most casse-croûtes use a mass-produced powdered sauce, but here’s how to make it from scratch.

*This recipe originally ran in Canada on HexClad.ca.

1. Place the fries in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and let sit 2 hours. Drain the fries on paper towels and dry thoroughly.

2. In a HexClad 4.5QT/4.3 L Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan, heat the oil to 325°F/163°C. Carefully add the fries and fry 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender and slightly crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Set the pan with oil aside.

3. In a HexClad 3QT/3 L Hybrid Saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly until the flour begins to brown.

4. Carefully add all the broth in a steady stream, whisking constantly to avoid flour lumps. Let the sauce simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. If there are lumps in the sauce, pass it through a fine sieve. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

5. Turn the heat up on the pan with oil to medium-high and let the oil reach 375°F/190°C. Carefully return the fries to the oil and fry until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

6. Transfer the fries to a paper-towel-lined bowl and shake them to remove any excess oil. Slide the paper towel out from under them and season with salt.

7. Divide the fries between four serving bowls and top with the cheese curds and sauce. Serve immediately.