Irish Cheddar Cheese Curd Poutine with Smoked Bacon & Whiskey Gravy.
Ingredients
Poutine:
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
- 4-6 large maris piper or rooster potatoes chipped or 1 pkt frozen french fries
- 200g cheddar cheese curd crumbled or shredded cheddar cheese
- 100g chopped scallions
Gravy:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 100ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Irish whiskey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Poutine:
- For best results peel and chop the potatoes and leave to soak overnight to remove all the starch or cook the frozen fries according to the package directions
- To make the chips once soaked overnight etc, cook 150C for 5 mins in deep fat fryer, then temp up to 185C, return to the fryer until golden brown
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the diced bacon.
- Cook until crispy and rendered. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserve for later.
- Add the sliced onion and minced garlic to the pan.
- Cook until starting to soften and then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15minutes or until the onions are caramelized and soft. Set aside.
- Into a bowl add the cooked fries & on top sprinkle the caramelized onions, add the bacon and the crumbled cheese curd or shredded cheese.
- Garnish with the scallions and serve with the gravy drizzled over top or on the side as a dipping sauce.
Gravy:
- While your fries are cooking and your onions are caramelizing, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple minutes.
- Slowly add in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly.
- Add in the whiskey and continue to cook and stir until the mixture is thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm until you are ready to serve.
