from Poutine
At Le Groupe Maurice, mealtime is an opportunity to pause, enjoy the moment and indulge – and it all starts with pleasure on the plate! This translates into the creation of flavours made with fresh, seasonal, and local products.
BBB Poutine (Bavette, Bacon & Blue)
Ingredients
4 bavettes (flank steaks), 120 g each
1 tsp. smoked blend (Épices de Marie Michèle)
1 tsp. salt-free butcher’s blend (Épices de Marie Michèle)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
160 g curd cheese
5 kg homemade or Saint-Arneault French fries, regular cut
8 slices of bacon, diced
For the sauce
1 large Spanish onion
Fat from cooking the bacon
60 ml red wine
60 g blue cheese (optional)
60 ml cooking cream
800 ml of your favourite demi-glace or poutine sauce
Directions
Combine the spices and garlic in a small bowl. Place the bavette steaks in a dish, drizzle on the olive oil and coat well. Add the spice mix, rubbing it in with your fingers. Refrigerate for one hour.
Heat the poutine sauce.
Cook the bacon and set aside, reserving the fat.
Meanwhile, slice the onions thinly.
In a skillet heated over medium heat, add the bacon fat and the onions, and season with salt. Cook, stirring, for 10-12 minutes to caramelize gently. Once the onions are caramelized, deglaze with red wine, reduce, then add the cream and blue cheese (optional). Keep hot.
In a skillet heated over moderately high heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the bavette steaks and cook for 3 minutes, moving them around occasionally. Turn the meat and cook 3 minutes longer. Remove the meat from the skillet and leave it on a plate for 2-3 minutes so it is warm when sliced.
Cook the French fries in a fryer or in the oven, depending on the type. Place them on a large baking sheet and keep hot in the oven.
Now you just need to assemble your poutine! Place the fries on your nicest cutting board. Top the fries with the curd cheese, caramelized onions and bacon bits (reserving some for garnish).
Place the sliced bavette on top and pour the sauce over as desired. Garnish with the remaining bacon bits.
Poutine with Pulled Duck
Ingredients
5 kg homemade or Saint-Arneault French fries, regular cut
250 g 2-year-old cheddar, grated or in small dice
Shredded meat from 4 duck legs (or chicken legs)
For the sauce
1 Tbsp. butter
2 French (grey) shallots, chopped
80 ml red wine
80 ml cognac or brandy
800 ml of your favourite demi-glace or poutine sauce
1 tsp. peppercorns, cracked
2 tsp. pink peppercorns or a peppercorn blend*
100 ml cooking cream (15%)
Directions
DIRECTIONS
Soak the pink peppercorns in red wine for 24 hours in advance to soften.
For the sauce:
Melt 15 ml (1 Tbsp.) butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots and cracked peppercorns.
Flambé with brandy, add the red wine and pink peppercorns and reduce by half.
Add the demi-glace sauce and cream. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the pink peppercorns are tender.
Keep hot.
For the poutine:
Cook the French fries in a fryer or in the oven, depending on the type. Place them on a large baking sheet and keep hot in the oven.
To assemble, layer French fries, shredded duck and cheese; repeat. Top the poutine with the pepper sauce.
Enjoy!
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Ingredients listed here are readily available in Quebec but throughout the rest of the country, purchase your locally made cheese and fries. My family prefers my homemade fries to the frozen ones…easy and you can substitute other root vegetables to make things fun. I use leftover sauce from roasts and stews making the poutine different every time. The only constant: cheese curds! In a rush I’ll use bagged shredded cheese or shred bricks of cheese, but it’s not the same. Kids tend to like this option more than the curds. Play and have fun with your own versions like the Doritos Poutine at https://canadiancookbooks.ca/doritos-poutine/
Contents and images used with permission by Le Groupe Maurice. https://www.legroupemaurice.com/en/articles/poutine-fest-the-recipes/
