Poutine & Burgers @ Burger de Ville, Montreal
Poutine is one of those baffling regional dishes. Who first came up with the idea that french fries, fresh cheese curds and gravy were a trio of ingredients itching to get together? An odd invention indeed dating back to rural Quebec around the late ‘50’s. And no, I have no idea why it is called poutine.
Nevertheless, this is a very popular dish in French Canada (mostly eaten in “greasy spoon” diners - though today it is so ubiquitous it can even be ordered at MacDonald’s). There are many variations but if you are going to try and recreate this at home I’d keep it pretty traditional:
In a rimmed dish place a heaped serving of crisp/hot french fries. Immediately dot with pieces of cheese curd. These are very difficult to find it outside of Canada and the US - especially as they need to be super fresh. As a substitute for the squeeky/rubbery textured cheese you may want to try pasteurised mozzarella or cheese straws. Now pour over some chicken gravy (ideally flavoured with thyme - in the UK M & S makes a fab one in a jar) and serve immediately.
Oh, and if you are ever in Montreal and you are a burger fan then do try and head out to Montreal Ouest to a fab little diner called Burger de Ville. A friend had told me they made a divine burger - and indeed they do! Served properly rare (to order) with a bewildering list of free toppings to choose from (harissa mayo, relish, pickles, sauted mushrooms, etc.), this is definitely worth a detour. Don’t be put off by the queues out the door - everything is done just right, and with a bit of cheeky smile.
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