Showing posts with label Poutine Chips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poutine Chips. Show all posts
If you're in the mood for something fun, comforting, and a little bit cheeky, this Welsh Rarebit Poutine is the kind of dish that will make you smile even before you take the first bite. It starts with a batch of hot crispy fries, topped with bits of cheese, melting from the heat of the fries and ends up with a delicious drenching of a rich velvety Welsh Rarebit cheese sauce.
Traditionally Welsh Rarebit is spooned over hot toast as classic British pub fare. This is not that and I don't apologize one bit. Instead what you have here is a mix of two classic delicious comfort foods, married together a playful fusion that turns simple fries into something that is indulgent and irresistible!
I will probably get under the skin of two cultures by posting this fusion recipe, but that's okay. Somethings are just so delicious that they deserve to be shared and this is one of them. This recipe is, in short, phenomenal! I kid you not.
I first saw this recipe here quite a while back and I bookmarked it to make one day. It combined two of my favorite things, Welsh Rarebit and Canadian Poutine, in a most delicious looking way. I knew that it was something I was going to want to try.
I did make some changes to the recipe. First, I cut the recipe basically in half as I just did not need anything that decadent in such a large quantity. Truthfully I cut it in half yet again to make only two servings, but am giving you the four serving sized recipe here today.
Secondly I made my own air fryer chips. I love making my own chips/French fries in the air fryer. They are healthier and they taste better in my opinion. Plus they don't take up precious room in the freezer.
For the cheese I had a bit of cheese left from when my sister and I visited the cheese farm a few months back. A five year aged cheddar. It has the most beautiful flavor with a rich and creamy texture. You want to use a well flavored cheddar for this.
Finally I did not use beer. I know beer is traditional for a rarebit, but it is just not something I keep in my home. I made an excellent substitute using chicken stock and a bit of cider vinegar to add some of the sharpness associated with beer and I have to say it worked excellently.
I did not have any cheese curds. (I know what was I thinking!) I did have a nice block of Emmenthaler cheese, which is Swiss. Sweet and nutty. I cut a bit of that into small cubes and layers it on top of the chips for the last five minutes of their cook time. This was an excellent choice. Nice cheese string and the flavor was really good.
The end result was a dish that is truly amazing. I don't think I have tasted anything half this good in quite some time. I was wishing that I had someone here to share it with, it was that good! I highly recommend that you run into the kitchen and start making this now!! I promise you that you won't regret it!
🥔💛INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE WELSH RAREBIT POUTINE🥔💛
These are pretty simple ingredients. If you use the best that you can afford to buy you are going to be amazed at the deliciousness of this dish.
- 1 1/2 TBS (12 g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 TBS (21g) salted butter
- 3/4 cup of chicken stock, remove 1 TBS and add 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
- pinch of nutmeg
- 4 ounces (100g) sharp/strong white cheddar cheese, grated
- 14 ounces (3/4 pound/396g) of frozen French fries, cooked or a double recipe of my Air Fryer Chips (I highly recommend!)
- fresh cheese curds to your taste (optional)
🥔💛INGREDIENTS NOTES🥔💛
All-Purpose Plain Flour
This forms the base of the roux - a classic thickener for the cheese sauce. Flour cooked with butter gives the sauce body and prevents any flour taste.
Salted Butter
Melted with the flour to create the roux, this adds a richness and helps to develop that nutty golden flavor when cooked properly.
Chicken Stock and Vinegar
I used this in place of beer. This adds a depth, bitterness, and complexity to the sauce, and works very well for those who do not want to use alcohol. If you don't have a problem with alcohol, by all means replace it with beer, a dry apple cider, or even a dry white wine.
Black Pepper, Cayenne and Nutmeg
These seasonings give the sauce warmth and a gentle kick. Cayenne adds a subtle heat that works well with the richness of the cheese.
Dijon Mustard
A classic component of Welsh Rarebit, mustard adds a tanginess and sharpness, cutting through the creamy cheese and giving the sauce it's signature flavour.
Worcestershire Sauce
Adds a savoury depth and umami. It's essential for achieving that traditional pub-style rarebit taste.
Strong/Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
This is the star of the show. Sharp cheddar melts smoothly and gives the sauce it's bold, tangy, deeply savoury flavor. DO grate your own and use a good quality cheddar. This is essential.
French Fries
This is the base of the Poutine. You can use a good crispy frozen fry, crispy and seasoned work well, or you can make my recipe for Air Fryer Chips. I highly recommend that. It's what I used. You will need to double it for four servings.
Cheese Curds
These add extra texture and richness. I did not have cheese curds on the day so I used a good Emmenthal cheese, cut into small cubes. It was excellent.
🥔💛HOW TO MAKE WELSH RAREBIT POUTINE🥔💛
As simple as cooking some oven chips and creating a delicious cheese sauce to spoon over top.
- Cook your chips/fries according to the package directions or my directions while you are making the cheese sauce. (I used my homemade version of oven chips made in the air fryer. They are delicious.)
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Whisk until the mixture smells nutty and turns a golden brown. (Keep whisking it to keep it moving and prevent it from burning. It should only be a light brown with all of the flour flavour cooked out.)
- Whisk in the chicken stock and vinegar mixture. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Heat to a simmer. (I use my small wire whisk for all of the whisking. It does a great job. It will thicken only slightly and thicken more when you add the cheese.)
- Add the cheddar, whisking it in well until it melts. Reduce the heat to low and keep on a simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. This will really develop the flavors of the sauce. (If you are going to keep it for very long, take it off the heat and then gently reheat it.)
- If you are adding cheese curds, add them to the fries for the last five minutes of cooking. (I just sprinkled the cubes over top.)
- Divide the hot fries (with the melted cheese curds) to four heated plates and drizzle the rarebit cheese sauce over top. Enjoy immediately. (These are the best!)
🥔💛HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS🥔💛
Cook your roux long enough for a nutty golden flavour
The roux is the foundation of the sauce - make sure you whisk the butter and flour until it turns golden and smells slightly nutty. This will ensure that any raw flour flavour is gone and it will give the sauce a richness and depth.
Add the liquid (Stock or Beer) slowly and whisk well
Pouring the liquid in slowly as you whisk ensures a smooth velvety sauce and prevents lumps.
Don't skip the seasoning
All of the seasonings help to build the signature flavour. Pepper, cayenne, mustard, Worcestershire and nutmeg all contribute to the bold, classic Welsh Rarebit taste. Adding them before the cheese allows the flavours to bloom properly.
Use sharp cheddar for the best flavor
Sharp cheddar melts beautifully and gives the sauce its robust tangy flavor. Its essential to achieving that traditional rarebit profile.
Let the sauce simmer until fully developed
After adding the cheese, continue cooking until everything has melted and the flavours have all melded to a rich and cohesive sauce. What you are looking for is something rich and silky.
Serve immediately for the best texture
Welsh rarebit sauce is at it's peak when hot and freshly melted. Drizzle it over the fries right before serving for maximum creaminess and crisp-to-soft contrast.
🥔💛FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS🥔💛
WHAT IS WELSH RAREBIT?
Welsh Rarebit is a traditional Welsh dish composed of a rich and robust cheese sauce made from a roux. It's traditionally served over toasted bread as classic British pub fare dating back to the 1700's.
HOW IS THIS RECIPE DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL POUTINE?
Traditional poutine uses fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. This version replaces the gravy with a rich Welsh Rarebit cheese sauce.
IS IT OKAY TO USE BEER INSTEAD OF THE CHICKEN STOCK/VINEGAR MIXTURE?
By all means. The original recipe uses beer. I switched it out because beer is not something I have in my home. You could also use wine or apple cider.
WHAT KIND OF FRIES WORK BEST?
You can use seasoned frozen fries for more layers of flavor, or plain frozen fries. I used my homemade Air Fryer Chips and they were excellent.
CAN I CUSTOMIZE THIS RECIPE?
By all means. You can add crispy bacon, fried onions, crispy fried onions, whatever you think you will enjoy along with the fries and rarebit sauce.
🥔💛A FEW MORE POTATO RECIPES TO ENJOY🥔💛
If, like me, the potato is your favorite vegetable you might also enjoy the following tasty recipes.
RUSTIC SMASHED RED POTATOES - These are like a smashed mashed potato, meant to be rustic and creamy all at the same time. This totally works. Red skinned potatoes, well-scrubbed, are simmered in water along with salt and a bay leaf until fork tender. They are then drained well and mashed together with a bit of creamed cheese, butter and chives or spring onions. The end result is a potato dish that practically melts in the mouth with tastiness. These go well with just about anything! I highly recommend!
FONDANT POTATOES - These have a beautiful buttery golden brown surface, but the interior is buttery and melt-in-the-mouth tasty. This is achieved by poaching them slowly in a rich chicken stock until tender and then finishing them off by frying them in a chef's kiss of butter, garlic and herbs until golden brown and crisp on the outside. These are considered party-fare and are very indulgent and elegant. Perfect for celebratory meals and holidays. This is a very classic recipe.
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Yield: makes 4 servings
Welsh Rarebit Poutine
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Prepare to fall in love. This traditionally delicious Canadian dish just got a million times better.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 TBS (12 g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 TBS (21g) salted butter
- 3/4 cup of chicken stock, remove 1 TBS and add 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
- pinch of nutmeg
- 4 ounces (100g) sharp/strong white cheddar cheese, grated
- 14 ounces (3/4 pound/396g) of frozen French fries, cooked or a double recipe of my Air Fryer Chips (I highly recommend!)
- fresh cheese curds to your taste (optional)
Instructions
- Cook your chips/fries according to the package directions or my directions while you are making the cheese sauce.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Whisk until the mixture smells nutty and turns a golden brown.
- Whisk in the chicken stock and vinegar mixture. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Heat to a simmer.
- Add the cheddar, whisking it in well until it melts. Reduce the heat to low and keep on a simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. This will really develop the flavors of the sauce.
- If you are adding cheese curds, add them to the fries for the last five minutes of cooking.
- Divide the hot fries (with the melted cheese curds) to four heated plates and drizzle the rarebit cheese sauce over top. Enjoy immediately.
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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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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!!
.JPG "Newfoundland Savory Bread Dressing")
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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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.
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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!
.JPG "True Newf Poutine")
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
- While the fries are cooking heat gravy, or make your gravy according to the package directions.
- Bring your curds to room temperature. Heat your stuffing, covered, in the microwave for 2 minutes.
- 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.
- Serve immediately.
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