There's always tradition, but sometimes that's not the best thing. I love a good burger and fries, but sometimes I need the comfort of the burger and the sophistication of a little something more. Enter poutine, a Canadian staple. Poutine is nothing more than crispy fries, gravy and cheese curd, but it is absolutely divine in its simplicity. I won't bother to bore you with the details, instead I'll direct you to Montreal or Toronto to have you try it for yourself.
On the menu today: Poutine & Clubhouse Burger Two Ways
French Fry Ingredients
Process
Start off by cutting the potatoes into batons, soaking in cold water and then oil blanching them.(*Oil blanching- Deep frying raw potatoes for two minutes and then placing them in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. This process makes a crispier french fry.) Keep frozen for later use.
*Take the cheese curd out of the fridge early to allow it to reach room temp, it helps to melt the curd in the hot, crispy fries during the toss...
Once the gravy is ready, cook the fries by deep frying until extra crispy (remember that these fries are going to get tons of gravy and a healthy dose of cheese curd so they need to stand up both in order to stay crisp and not become overly mushy. I normally cooking mine for 5-8 minutes to insure a nice crunch (even under water LOL)...
Rosemary Gravy Ingredients
Process
Start the gravy by cutting the mushrooms into slices & mincing the garlic and rosemary. Make the roux by adding the butter to a pan and heating to melt, add the flour and stir to make a paste. Allow this mixture to cook for about 3 minutes on medium or allow to brown slightly. Remove from heat and reserve for later usage. Next, add the oil and mushrooms to a heated sauce-pot to slightly brown before adding the garlic and 3/4 of the herbs, cooking for 1-2 more minutes. De-glaze pan with red wine and reduce to half before adding the beef stock. Reduce to 3/4 before adding the roux (1 Tbs at a time while boiling until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (nappe- meaning it should coat the back of a spoon.) Now taste and add salt and pepper to adjust to your liking.
Finally, dress the cooked fries with salt, fresh minced rosemary and (room temp) cheese curd, by placing in an over-sized bowl for the toss. Plate by adding to a bowl or plate, adding the gravy, more cheese curd and minced rosemary for garnish as seen below. Serve immediately. This is normally a meal by itself but I added a burger just because I wanted one.
Clubhouse Burger (2 ways) Ingredients
Process
Start of by seasoning the ground beef liberally with salt and pepper then making the patties, be sure to make them somewhat flat (for the bread). If you are making the cheese curd stuffed ones, simply tuck a few pieces of the cheese curd into the center of the meat and cover with more meat. Set aside for later use. Next fry the bacon in a pan until it's crispy then remove for later use (reserve 2 Tbs of bacon grease for later. If you are using an egg simply fry it in the bacon grease and set it aside for later use. Next cook the burger to your desired temp adding the cheese for the smoked cheddar burger and set aside. Finally place the bread into the heated pan with the reserved bacon grease and cook until lightly toasted. Plate as seen below by adding the arugula and bacon on top of the burger, adding the burger to the bread and cutting for service. * If you are adding the egg, be sure to add it to the burger on top of the bacon and arugula. Add ketchup and mustard if needed...
On the menu today: Poutine & Clubhouse Burger Two Ways
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| Poutine |
- Russet or Kennebec Potatoes (1 PP)
- Vegetable Oil (Deep Fryer)
- Cheese Curd (1/2 cup)
- Deep Fryer
- Cheese Curd (3/4 cup)
Process
Start off by cutting the potatoes into batons, soaking in cold water and then oil blanching them.(*Oil blanching- Deep frying raw potatoes for two minutes and then placing them in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. This process makes a crispier french fry.) Keep frozen for later use.
*Take the cheese curd out of the fridge early to allow it to reach room temp, it helps to melt the curd in the hot, crispy fries during the toss...
Once the gravy is ready, cook the fries by deep frying until extra crispy (remember that these fries are going to get tons of gravy and a healthy dose of cheese curd so they need to stand up both in order to stay crisp and not become overly mushy. I normally cooking mine for 5-8 minutes to insure a nice crunch (even under water LOL)...
Rosemary Gravy Ingredients
- Beef Stock (32 oz)
- Flour (1/2 cup)
- Butter (1/4 cup)
- Mushrooms (8-9 each)
- Garlic (1 Tbs)
- Red Wine (1/4 cup)
- Fresh Rosemary (2 stalks)
- Salt & Pepper (TT)
Process
Start the gravy by cutting the mushrooms into slices & mincing the garlic and rosemary. Make the roux by adding the butter to a pan and heating to melt, add the flour and stir to make a paste. Allow this mixture to cook for about 3 minutes on medium or allow to brown slightly. Remove from heat and reserve for later usage. Next, add the oil and mushrooms to a heated sauce-pot to slightly brown before adding the garlic and 3/4 of the herbs, cooking for 1-2 more minutes. De-glaze pan with red wine and reduce to half before adding the beef stock. Reduce to 3/4 before adding the roux (1 Tbs at a time while boiling until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (nappe- meaning it should coat the back of a spoon.) Now taste and add salt and pepper to adjust to your liking.
Finally, dress the cooked fries with salt, fresh minced rosemary and (room temp) cheese curd, by placing in an over-sized bowl for the toss. Plate by adding to a bowl or plate, adding the gravy, more cheese curd and minced rosemary for garnish as seen below. Serve immediately. This is normally a meal by itself but I added a burger just because I wanted one.
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| Mozz Stuffed |
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| Cheddar Grilled Bacon & Arugula on the side |
Clubhouse Burger (2 ways) Ingredients
- Ground beef (1 lbs)
- Pullman Bread
- Extra sharp, smoked cheddar cheese (2 cups)
- Cheese curd (1/4 cup)
- Arugula (4 oz)
- Applewood smoked bacon (2 each per burger)
- Fried egg (optional)
- Butter (2 Tbs)
- Salt & Pepper (TT)
Process
Start of by seasoning the ground beef liberally with salt and pepper then making the patties, be sure to make them somewhat flat (for the bread). If you are making the cheese curd stuffed ones, simply tuck a few pieces of the cheese curd into the center of the meat and cover with more meat. Set aside for later use. Next fry the bacon in a pan until it's crispy then remove for later use (reserve 2 Tbs of bacon grease for later. If you are using an egg simply fry it in the bacon grease and set it aside for later use. Next cook the burger to your desired temp adding the cheese for the smoked cheddar burger and set aside. Finally place the bread into the heated pan with the reserved bacon grease and cook until lightly toasted. Plate as seen below by adding the arugula and bacon on top of the burger, adding the burger to the bread and cutting for service. * If you are adding the egg, be sure to add it to the burger on top of the bacon and arugula. Add ketchup and mustard if needed...
