Portland Poutine

       Before we came to the poutine capital of the world we first experienced poutine at a Portland food cart. Over the past couple years, we have tasted some fine poutine in Montreal, specifically La Banquise, yet Hollin will argue that the Portland food cart Potato Champion beats all. Potato Champion does Portlandize Quebec's traditional dish. Their gravy is vegetarian and there is even a vegan option (made with faux cheese curds). Vegetarian poutine is the furthest I have seen Canadians venture. Naturally we were excited to find Potato Champion's gravy recipe. 

I hesitate to recommend eating poutine - Fries, gravy and cheese curds does not exactly fit with the Eating for the Rest of Us motto of healthy living. So eat in moderation! The upside to making your own poutine is that you can moderate what goes into your gravy. 


See Hollin whip up some poutine on a Saturday night in the video below: 

Recipe adapted from "Potato Champion Poutine" in Food Trucks: Dispatches and Recipes from the Best Kitchens on Wheels by Heather Shouse.

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 shallot, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp pepper

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup flour

1/4 butter

Salt to taste

Cheese curds

Fries

Add onion, shallots, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper into a sauce pan. Cook onions until they are translucent.

Meanwhile, make a roux with the butter and flour in a small pan. Cook roux until pale golden. 

Add stock into onion pot. Bring to a boil. Whisk roux into pot, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes.

Build poutine.

Fries + cheese curds + gravy.