Today is National Greasy Foods Day and what better way to celebrate than with a plate of poutine? It is more familiar as a late night snack at a diner, but this dish can easily be thrown together at home. The dish originated in Québec, Canada sometime in the late 1950’s with many claiming the first creation of the dish. The classic Québec poutine is made up of french fries, cheese curds, and a velouté sauce or gravy made with chicken stock. Variations of this Canadian import can be found in almost every region of the United States and the following are just a few examples:
Poutine Italienne: Uses marinara sauce instead of gravy.
Philly Fries: Topped with Cheese Whiz.
Chili cheese fries: Topped with beef chili and cheddar cheese.
Disco Fries: Also known as "Elvis Fries" are served mostly in northern New Jersey and select New York City diners. It is typically made with brown gravy, mozzarella, and steak fries. Some sources cite that Disco fries are made with shredded cheddar cheese or American cheese.
You get the idea, french fries, cheese, and sauce. Voilà…poutine! Here’s a version I like to call Poutine Corée or Korean-style Cheese Fries. Be forewarned, this version has a bit of heat!
Poutine Corée
Yields 3-4 servings
- 16 oz. bag of frozen French fries (medium to thick cut is preferred)
- 2 tablespoons dwaenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 tablespoon kochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ - 2 cups of beef stock
- ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 stalks green onions thinly sliced (optional)
Method:
- Prepare French fries as directed on the package.
- In a small bowl, mix together the dwaenjang, kochujang, roasted sesame seeds, garlic powder, sesame oil, sugar. Set aside. This is your ssamjang (a spicy Korean condiment)*.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook until the roux (the base for the gravy) is light brown.
- Whisk in the beef stock, pouring a little in at a time. Whisk until sauce is thickened.
- Lower heat to medium-low. Whisk in the ssamjang.
- On a large platter or plate, layer French fries, shredded mozzarella, and gravy. Garnish with green onions.
*Ssamjang (pronounced: sahm jahng) is a common condiment in Korean cuisine. You can buy prepared ssamjang from your local Korean grocery store.
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