Poutine - oven chips, curds & gravy

Season
Autumn/Winter
Skill level
More ambitious
Preparation Time
10 minutes
Cooking Time
25 minutes
Serves
Serves 2
Categories
Gluten-free
Categories
Indulgent

Poutine is a classic Canadian street food and here's our oven-based version. Traditionally made with cheese curds, which can be bought from specialist cheese shops or ordered online, it works just as well with creamy buffalo mozzarella. Topped with a rich gravy, it’s a deliciously gooey take on loaded fries.

Ingredients for poutine

  • 500g large white potatoes (such as Maris Piper)
  • 200g cheese curds (or buffalo mozzarella)
  • 400ml gravy, beef or onion, either a readymade gravy or homemade.

Ingredients for homemade gravy

  • Leftover juices from a roast beef joint or a mixture of beef bones and 150ml water
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 400ml good quality beef stock
  • 2-3 sprigs of either rosemary or thyme plus 2 sprigs of thyme to finish
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. 1If you’re using beef bones from your butcher, put them in in 100-150ml of water. Add the chopped onion and fresh herbs to your liquid. Bring to the boil and discard the bones and over a medium heat, stir in 1 tbsp of plain flour. Keep stirring until you’ve cooked the flour out and it’s all combined with the juices. Add a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme and season. Add approximately 400ml of good quality beef stock. Keep on the heat and simmer stirring regularly until thickened up.
  2. 2Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and preheat the oven to 220°C / Fan 200°C / Gas 7 .
  3. 3Keeping the skin on, slice the potatoes lengthways into 1cm slices then cut into sticks (chips).
  4. 4Cook the chips in the boiling water for 5 minutes then drain.
  5. 5Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and spray with little a light oil spray.
  6. 6Place the chips onto the baking tray in a single layer, season and spray all over with the light oil. Cook in the preheated oven for 25 minutes giving them a shake half-way through or until golden and crispy.
  7. 7Make sure the gravy is at boiling temperature or piping hot.
  8. 8Transfer the chips to a serving dish, break the cheese curds (or mozzarella) into small chunks, place them on the chips and pour over the hot gravy.