True Newf Poutine (copycat recipe)

 

I am really excited to share this version of Poutine with you today.  I love Poutine. Most people do. Poutine is a Canadian invention.  At its very basic, it is a dish of hot French Fried potatoes, topped with cheese curds and hot gravy.  The heat from the fries  and the gravy melts the cheese curds, creating a moreish ooey gooey  dish of deliciousness!!! 

It was not something which I had ever heard of when I was growing up, but apparently it began in the Province of Quebec in the 1950's.  At first it was perceived negatively and mocked, but in recent years it has emerged as a celebrated emblem of Quebec Culture. It has become a popular dish throughout Canada, the Northern US and indeed around the world.

 

 

As with anything, it has evolved to the point where there are a bazillion variations that you can find out there in restaurant land.  I think everyone has their favorite version.

At its very simplest it is incredibly delicious, but that appears to be only a starting point to a whole world of deliciousness.

 

There is a local eatery my sister and I go to from time to time.  It is in a small town near us called Berwick. The place is Jonny's. It used to be just an ice cream stand, but has developed into one of the most popular places to eat. They have no indoor seating. You have to eat at picnic tables outside or in your car.  

Despite that fact, the place is always jam packed and there are always lineups waiting to order.  This is a huge testimony to the versatility of their menu and the deliciousness of their food.

They sell no less than ten different kinds of poutine. They have everything from the classic to the ballpark, which has sliced hotdogs, cheddar cheese, onions and ketchup on the fries along with the gravy.

Whenever we go there my sister and I like to order the True Newf Poutine, which is fries, cheese curds, gravy and delicious Newfoundland Savory Bread Dressing.

We are dressing (or stuffing as it is also called) fanatics.  For us the favorite part of any holiday meal is the stuffing, and if you can get it on a poutine, well, count us in!! 

 

To be really considered true to the original it has to be true Newfoundland Savory Bread Dressing. And for that to be truly authentic you need to use fresh coarse bread crumbs, and a Maritime herb known as Summer Savory.   There is also butter and onion, and some seasoning if needed.

But that's all. It is simple and it is delicious and my sister and I would tell you that it is our favorite type of dressing/stuffing.

Its also very simple to make and I tell you how in the recipe.  You do need this particular herb however to make it taste like the real thing.

Summer savory is an annual herb which is a part of the mint family. It is often  sometimes used as a substitute, or along with rosemary, thyme, or sage. 

It has a somewhat peppery flavoring, and is less bitter than its winter savory relative. 

For it to be true Newfoundland stuffing you need to use Summer Savory. Here in the Maritime Provinces it is grown and sold all over the place. Elsewhere and in the States you can purchase it online via Amazon, the Silk Road Spice merchant, etc.  It is not hard to find.

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A TRUE NEWF POUTINE

Its very simple really and also very quick to make using only a few simple ingredients.

• French fries
• cheese curds
• Poutine gravy or gravy mix
• Newfoundland Stuffing

 

You can use frozen oven chips for the French fries. I did. My favorite brand here in Canada is Cavendish Crispy fries.  They are the nicest, crispest oven chips. You can use whatever kind you like and what is available to you.  You will need a bag large enough for four people.

For the gravy you can use either leftover beef gravy, a can of beef or poutine gravy, or a package of poutine gravy mix.  Today I used a package of poutine gravy mix.

For the cheese curds I used Saputo Poutine Cheese Curds.  You can use whatever cheese curds you can find that are available where you live. You can also use cubed or grated Mozzarella cheese if that is all you can find.

Cheese curds are sometimes referred to as "Squeaky Cheese."  People often eat these on their own as a snack. When we were growing up we always bought cheese curds when we went to Quebec to visit my Grandmama.  We would bring bags of them back and throw them in the freezer.

They are usually undyed and what is used to press and ripen into block cheese. They are cheese in its most natural state.

    WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE NEWFOUNDLAND DRESSING

• 2 cups (60g) fresh white coarse bread crumbs
• 1 - 2 TBS summer savory ( this is an herb)
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup water or chicken bouillon (60ml), only if dressing seems dry
• salt and black pepper to taste 

 

HOW TO MAKE THE NEWFOUNDLAND DRESSING 

This is truly the easiest dressing/stuffing to make.  You can make this the day ahead if you wish and that way everything will go together very quickly on the day.

To make the stuffing combine the bread crumbs and the savory in a bowl Heat the butter over medium heat until it foams. Add the onion and sauté until soft without coloring.

Mix the butter and onion mixture into the crumbs, mixing everything together well. If the mixture seems dry you can add the bouillon by the TBS. You don't want the mixture to be soggy, but loose flowing. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.

If you are making this a day ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate, bringing it to room temperature prior to using.

Once you have the dressing made, the rest of the dish is really a true doddle to put together.  Just make sure all of your ingredients are fresh and hot, hot, hot.

You want the chips and gravy to be hot enough to melt the cheese curds.  It helps if your curds are at room temperature when you start as well.

If you want you can pop them onto the hot chips and microwave them for a few seconds to be really sure they are going to melt before you ladle on the hot gravy.

 

Its simply a matter of layering.  Hot chips.  Cheese curds. Hot stuffing. Hot gravy and a bit more hot stuffing to garnish.

That's it. Pure and simple.   You can make them up individually, or you can make one large portion that  you can divide up at the table.  Watching the cheese string is all a part of the fun of eating this.  That and the delicious taste! 

 

I have a few other versions of Poutine on here that you might enjoy:

CHICKEN DINNER POUTINE - Everything you enjoy about a roast chicken dinner.  Chicken, gravy, peas, cheese and stuffing. Oh, and chips of course!

BBQ BEEF POUTINE - Chunks of BBQ Beef Brisket in a BBQ sauce/gravy along with cheese on the hot fries.  Deliciously different.

HOT TURKEY POUTINE - Chunks of hot turkey, turkey gravy, leftover stuffing and cheese curds on the fries.  Again delicious!

True Newf Poutine (copycat recipe)

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Marie Rayner

This is a copycat recipe of the True Newf Poutine that you can get here in Nova Scotia at a local eating establishment. It tastes pretty much exactly the same. Its delicious! The key to its authenticity is the dressing! I have not given times as it will vary according to your method of cooking the chips.

Ingredients

• 1 (4 serving size) bag of your favorite frozen oven chips
• 1 prepared recipe of Newfoundland dressing (see below)
• 1 envelope of poutine gravy mix, prepared, or 2 cups prepared gravy (480ml)
• 1 (200g/about 3/4 cup) package of poutine cheese curds (or the equivalent in grated mozzarella cheese (200g/2 1/2 cups), or a combination of the two)

For the dressing:

• 2 cups (60g) fresh white coarse bread crumbs
• 1 - 2 TBS summer savory ( this is an herb)
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup water or chicken bouillon (60ml), only if dressing seems dry
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. I would make the stuffing first. You can make this the day ahead if you wish and that way everything will go together very quickly on the day.
2. To make the stuffing combine the bread crumbs and the savory in a bowl Heat the butter over medium heat until it foams. Add the onion and sauté until soft without coloring.
3. Mix the butter and onion mixture into the crumbs, mixing everything together well. If the mixture seems dry you can add the bouillon by the TBS. You don't want the mixture to be soggy, but loose flowing. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.
4. If you are making this a day ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate, bringing it to room temperature prior to using.
5. When you are ready to make the poutine, cook your frozen fries according to the package directions. (I cook mine in my air fryer, 16 minutes at 360*F/182*C)
6. While the fries are cooking heat gravy, or make your gravy according to the package directions.
7. Bring your curds to room temperature. Heat your stuffing, covered, in the microwave for 2 minutes.
8. Lay your hot chips out onto a heated platter. Top with the cheese curds or mozzarella cheese (if using). Spoon most of the hot stuffing over top. Ladle the hot gravy over the stuffing and then scatter the remaining stuffing over top of the gravy.
9. Serve immediately.

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