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Mushroom-gravy poutine
Québec fries with squeaky cheese curds and a rich vegetarian mushroom gravy
CanadianPoutine was born in rural Québec in the 1950s, at snack bars (casse-croûtes) in towns like Warwick and Drummondville, and is now eaten across Canada at 2 a.m. after a night out and at hockey arenas. The rules are simple: crisp fries, fresh cheese curds that squeak against your teeth, and a hot, savoury gravy poured over so the curds soften but don't fully melt. This gravy is made with browned mushrooms and vegetable stock instead of the usual chicken-beef stock. Chef's tip: keep the curds at room temperature and the gravy very hot; cold curds stay rubbery and lukewarm gravy makes the fries soggy without softening the cheese.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fries
- 2 ¼ lb floury baking potatoespeeled, cut into 1 cm batons
- 6 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep frying
- 1 tsp salt
For the mushroom gravy
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 7 oz chestnut mushroomsfinely chopped
- 1 shallotfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 2 cups hot vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
To serve
- 10 ½ oz fresh cheese curdsat room temperature; or torn mild mozzarella
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 2 ¼ lb floury baking potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes to remove surface starch, then drain and dry very well on a towel.
30 minStep 2: For the gravy, melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 7 oz chestnut mushrooms for 6–8 minutes until their liquid evaporates and they turn deep brown and smell nutty. Add 1 shallot and 2 cloves garlic for 2 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Stir in 3 tbsp plain flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells toasty. Gradually whisk in 2 cups hot vegetable stock, then 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp tomato purée, ½ tsp dried thyme and ½ tsp black pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Add 1 tsp cider vinegar and blend smooth if you like. Keep very hot.
12 minStep 4: Heat 6 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 300°F. Fry the potatoes in 3 batches for 5–6 minutes until soft but still pale. Drain on a rack.
18 minStep 5: Raise the oil to 375°F and fry again in batches for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden and they rustle when shaken. Drain and toss with 1 tsp salt. Common mistake: frying once at a single temperature; the fries go limp the moment the gravy hits.
9 minStep 6: Pile the fries in bowls, scatter over 10 ½ oz fresh cheese curds and pour over the hot gravy. Eat straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mushroom-gravy poutine take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of floury baking potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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