Coming up with creative ideas for dinner is always a challenge - especially when you're juggling agendas with a busy family. Sunday night is always my night to try something new. Even though we have choir practice, mass, catechism, laundry, and last minute homework assignments, we always make time for fun. Whether it's playdates with our favorite family friends or long baths with sudsy sing-alongs, Sundays are our day to break the routine of the week and enjoy our time together as a family.
This week, inspired by my daughter Lola, I decided that it had been far too long since we had potatoes, but the same ole spud would just not do. So, I packed up the kids and we went on a little adventure to Whole Foods - I swear it's their new favorite place to visit - and picked up some supplies to make our very own poutine. "Poutine" sounds like a fancy French dish, but don't be fooled, even though this dish uses french fries, it's actually a Canadian specialty (yes, it's from Quebec so that's why the name is en Francais). This quintessential comfort food takes fries and tops them with a light-brown gravy and cheese curds. Curds aren't really easy to find or describe, but they're the perfect addition to this messy feast. Don't feel like making this dish from scratch? Well, the new Whole Foods on Ambassador Caffery has a poutine bar...yep, you can make and take your cheesy, gravy-laden fries on the road.
This is a great dish that can be adjusted based on your desires - mine was vegetarian, but you can add chopped bacon or shredded meat at your will. And don't limit yourself to cheese curds - I have an idea to use blue cheese on the next round, yum!
Sweet potato poutine with mushroom and onion gravy and cheddar cheese curds
Ingredients
french fries - any variety, homemade or frozen
2 TBS flour
2 TBS butter
6 baby portobello mushrooms - sliced
2 cloves of garlic - minced
1 TBS olive oil
1 sweet onion - sliced
1 c stock - any variety
salt & black pepper
Worcestershire sauce - optional
cheese curds - even those most store-bought curds are cheddar don't substitute with shredded cheddar if you can't find them (that will be too strong of a flavor). Opt for a block of mild, creamy cheese torn into pieces to replicate the delicate flavor of curds
chopped green onion
Directions
- Prepare fries - I made my poutine with baked pre-blanched, frozen sweet potato fries, but any kind will do based on what you like.
- While the fries are cooking slice the mushrooms, toss in olive oil, minced garlic, salt & pepper and place on a cookie sheet to roast for 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare the gravy by first caramelizing the onions. Then incorporate the flour and butter and whisk in the stock. You can add Worcestershire at this point if you're okay with adding an animal product (this tasty sauce is packed with anchovy).
- Bring the gravy to a boil and allow to reduce and thicken, adding the mushrooms (and resulting "gravy") to the pot. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until desired consistency is achieved.
- Pour gravy on seasoned fries, top with crumbled curds and chopped green onion.
Pretty great, eh?