Poutine

by Poppy O'Toole, featured in The Potato Book

Published by Bloomsbury

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Introduction

If my research is right, poutine means ‘hot mess’... I’ve never related to a potato dish more. I am the poutine of the cheffing world. I love it. You’ve got golden chips (I’m using my oven chips, but feel free to use classic fried chips) topped with squeaky cheese curds and doused in thick, velvety brown gravy. Basically, it’s an upgrade on that classic post-night-out order from your local takeaway. My kinda meal. In 2023, I was lucky enough to be in Montreal, Canada, where this dish comes from. Authentic poutine is incredible. I’ve found just one place in the UK where you can buy cheese curds, and that’s Borough Market, in London. If you’re there, get me some, will ya?

As featured in

The Potato Book

Image of Poppy O'Toole's Poutine — Ellis Parrinder

Ingredients

Serves: 2

800 grams floury potatoes (preferably Maris Piper), peeled and sliced into chips about the size of your index finger
4 tablespoons neutral oil
300 millilitres chicken stock
300 millilitres beef stock
2 garlic cloves (bashed but left whole)
2 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
3 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons butter (cubed)
200 grams mozzarella (or cheese curds, if you can find them)
salt

Method

Poutine is a guest recipe by Poppy O'Toole so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7.
Place your chipped potatoes in a bowl of cold water to soak for 2–3 minutes, then rinse to remove any excess starch. Tip them into a large saucepan of heavily salted, cold water (make sure they are covered). Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 7–10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Drain in a colander.
One by one, spread the chips out over a rack placed over a tray (be careful so as not to break them up). Place a tea towel over them and leave them to steam-dry for 5–10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the oil to a large baking tray and place it in the oven to heat up for 5–10 minutes, or until hot.
Carefully remove the tray from the oven and tip the chips into the hot oil, giving them one little mix so they get coated – the oil should be hot enough that it sizzles when you add the dry potatoes. Return the baking tray to the oven for 45 minutes, turning the chips over halfway through cooking, until they are golden and crispy all over.
While the chips are cooking, make your gravy. Add both stocks, and the garlic, thyme and rosemary to a saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce the liquid by half (about 5 minutes). In a separate small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water.
Discard the garlic and herbs from the pan, then turn down the heat on the reduced stock and whisk in the cornflour slurry and the cubes of butter to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
To serve, stack your chips high, tear up your mozzarella (for cheese curds, leave them as they are) and scatter this on top. Pour over your hot, thick gravy. Dig in.