Poutine

This has to be the best thing to come out of Canada ever!    Chips, cheese and gravy ... what's not to love!!  It's the flavour of the gravy that really lifts this dish so its worth the effort.

Ingredients
serves 2
1kg potatoes
200g cheese curds , cut into small cubes (I used some fiori di latte mozzarella)

for the gravy
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 large portabello mushroom, roughtly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1 tbsp Mushroom ketchup 
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
400ml vegetable stock 
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp marmite (optional)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method

Cut the potatoes into chunky chips. (Leave the skin on) Boil or steam for 10-15 minutes to start the cooking. Remove before they get too soft.   Leave them to cool and dry on kitchen paper.

Meanwhile on a high heat put the olive oil into a frying pan and fry the onions, reducing the heat to medium after a few minutes as not to burn them. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes until they have caramelised and turned brown.  Add a teaspoon of sugar to help if needed.

Next add the butter, mustard powder, smoked paprika and the Mushroom ketchup (similar to Worcester sauce but without the anchovies!).  Add a little stock and stir in well.

Then in a small bowl place the flour then add some stock and mix to eliminate any lumps. Add the flour suspension to the onions.  Continue to add the remaining stock to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the marmite which will add a darker colour and also a saltiness to the gravy. Taste and season well with lots of ground black pepper.  Then sieve the gravy through a fine strainer to remove the onion and mushroom. Return the gravy to a small pan to keep warm.

Drop the potatoes into a deep fat fryer on a medium-high temperature and cook for 10 minutes.  They should not have coloured too much.  Remove from the oil and turn up the temperature to high.  Return the chips to the hot oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes to crisp and colour golden.  Drain and remove excess oil on kitchen paper.

To serve, place the chips in a bowl, top with the cheese and pour the gravy all over.