A recent post (my short Thanksgiving greetings) solicited several comments which mentioned “Poutine”, something I’d never heard about. Apparently, it involves French fries, gravy, and cheese curds. I figured it wouldn’t be too hard to make a vegan version, so here’s my try.
First of all though, I had to learn a bit more about Poutine. Maybe it’s a traditionally French dish I was unaware of? From the Middle Ages, possibly? Nope! It’s a Canadian invention and first turned up in the late 1950s, in Quebec, to be exact. First came the cheese curds which were added to an order of French fries at the request of a customer who was in a hurry. Urban legend claims this happened at a restaurant now called Le Lutin qui rit, but there are other versions. Supposedly, the customer exclaimed “c’est une maudite poutine!” (“that’s a damned mess”), using a slang word for “mess”. To keep the “mess” from getting cold too quickly, gravy was added a bit later.
Although Poutine started as a street food option, it became very popular after some fast-food chains added it to their menu. Since then, it has entered the repertoire of many gourmet restaurants, and there are even some poutine-only establishments, with more than 30 varieties to choose from. The reason? It’s Canadians’ Number One favorite food, according to some polls.1
A vegan option starts out easily enough, with crispy French fries. A gravy without dairy or animal ingredients isn’t hard either. What’s a bit of a problem is the cheese curd; I don’t think I’ve ever encountered it, even when I was still eating cheese. I consulted a few recipes that I found online and followed a mixture of suggestions.
Essentially, one cooks three different dishes which are served one on top of the other.
Ingredients:
For French fries:
4 - 5 large Russet potatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
For Gravy:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups button or cremini mushrooms, diced
½ of medium yellow onion, dice
Pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
For the Cheese:
½ cup raw cashews
1 cup water
3 ½ Tablespoons tapioca flour
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
Preparation:
French fries:
Scrub the potatoes and cut them into fairly thin strips. Soak them in a big bowl of water for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 F, rinse the potatoes and dry them on a clean dish towel. Mix the olive oil and the salt and toss the potatoes with the mixture. Spread the fries in a single layer over two lightly oiled baking sheets and bake for 25 - 35 minutes, until they are golden and crisp.
Gravy:
Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the onions. Lower the heat a bit and roast the onions until they start to brown, then add the mushrooms. Keep stirring until the mushrooms are caramelized, add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
In a small saucepan heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, sprinkle in the flour and lower the heat; cook the flour for 2 - 3 minutes. Have 1 cup of almost boiling-hot vegetable broth ready and add it all at once, stirring vigorously. Lower the heat and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the nutritional yeast, onions, and mushrooms, mix well and keep warm.
Cheese Curds:
Soak the cashews overnight or boil in water until soft. If you skip this step, your cheese will taste quite grainy. Drain the cashews. Add them, together with all the other ingredients, to a blender and blend until the mix is completely smooth – better too much than not enough. Pour into a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat; stir constantly until it thickens and becomes gooey, about 5 minutes. When it cools the cheese becomes thicker.
To Serve:
Heap a serving of French fries into a bowl. Use a teaspoon to add some “cheese curds” on top. Pour the gravy over everything and serve while hot.
A note about the “cheese”.
Unless you’re vegan and don’t remember what real cheese tastes like, the substitution may not be satisfactory. Just consider what’s more important: the well-being of animals and the planet, or your taste buds. Once you decide it’s easy to follow.