from Brunch King
Poutine is a popular Canadian dish that typically consists of French fries and cheese-curds covered in hot gravy. I had a Canadian friend who ordered it, and we were all laughing at the name. But then, I had it and wondered how I’d make it better. Here, we “Chef Joey” it up with braised short ribs and mozzarella and smother everything with rich brown demi gravy.
Ingredients
Ribs:
3 lbs beef short ribs
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
12 garlic cloves, smashed
1 small white onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
½ medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped (1/3 cup)
1 small carrot, chopped (1/3 cup)
2 bay leaves
Sprig of rosemary
Sprig of thyme
1 (750-mL) bottle red wine (preferably Zinfandel)
2 cups chicken stock
1 (8-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, hand crushed
Gravy:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp granulated garlic
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp heavy cream
Hash:
1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
4 cups French fries
4 oz mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 eggs
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 scallions, for garnish
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives, for garnish
Directions
Ribs: Preheat oven to 350F.
Pat-dry short ribs. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil, then arrange short ribs in the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes, until brown and crusty on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
To the same Dutch oven, add garlic, onion, fennel, carrot, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. Saute for 5 minutes over medium-high heat until fragrant and onion is softened. Add short ribs, wine, stock, and tomatoes. Cover, then cook in the oven for 4 hours, until short ribs are fork tender.
Transfer short ribs to a cutting board and set aside. Remove bay leaves, stalks of rosemary and thyme sprigs, from the hot braising liquid. Using an immersion blender, blend braising liquid until smooth. Return ribs to the Dutch oven.
(Leftover ribs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.)
Brown Demi Gravy: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add flour, whisking constantly until the roux is lightly golden and smells like popcorn. Do not brown. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine stocks, thyme, garlic, salt and cream. Whisk in the roux and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
The gravy can be stored in the fridge for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Short Rib Poutine Hash: Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add fries and cook for 3 minutes, until hot. Top with mozzarella. Bake for 1-2 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Add short ribs and bake for another 5 minutes.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, crack an egg into a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl. Gently swirl the egg in the sieve so that the loose, watery egg white drains into the bowl. Place the intact egg in a separate small bowl. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Stir vinegar into the boiling water, creating a vortex by vigorously stirring the water in a circle. Add an egg to the middle of the vortex and cook for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer egg to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess water. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Heat a medium saute pan over high heat. Add scallions and cook on each side for 1 minute, or until slightly charred.
To serve: Divide short rib hash between two plates. Top each with two eggs. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Garnish each plate with 1 scallion. Pour gravy on top. Garnish with chives.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I made the short ribs portion of this recipe to serve with mashed potatoes and veggies. My family doesn’t like anything with a licorice taste so substituted the fennel for leeks. I also used the sauce from the ribs for the poutine instead of making an extra gravy. Short on time but want a quick meal? Buy ready-made roast beef in gravy in your meat aisle and use frozen fries. Don’t like to poach eggs? Fry some instead. I also skipped the scallions. You can get creative with this recipe, depending on your family’s preferences and time constraints.
Excerpted from The Brunch King: Eats, Beats, and Boozy Drinks by Joey Maggiore. Photography by Joanie Simon. Copyright © 2024 by The Maggiore Group. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. https://www.figure1publishing.com/book/brunch-king/
