The poutine creative process can be inspired by trending flavors, local/regional ingredients, the season, even nostalgia! When the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) partnered with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to design a “poutine bar” for a conference breakfast, Chef Robin Schempp (Right Stuff Enterprises) refined the offering to three distinctive approaches that catered to a variety of tastes.
Pre–Mades > |
MONTREAL POUTINE AVEC SAUCISSES |
HIPPY DIP POUTINE *veg *not fried |
CHICKEN & WAFFLE POUTINE |
Wisconsin Cheese |
Classic Curds (white) |
Wisconsin 3- Cheese Sauce |
Yellow Cheddar Curds |
Idaho Potatoes |
Classic Fries |
Roasted/Home Fries |
Waffle Fries |
Gravy/Sauce |
Classic Gravy |
Roasted Mushroom Gravy |
Buttermilk Sausage Gravy |
Topping |
Short Rib (from gravy) |
Tamari Braised Kale & Spinach |
Fried Chicken |
Customizations | |||
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Grilled Sausage |
Bacon |
Cinnamon Apples |
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Idaho Tots |
Wisconsin Fontina |
Country Ham/Red Eye Gravy |
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Egg: |
Fried Egg |
Poached Egg |
Scrambled Egg |
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Condiments:
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Hot Sauces |
Grated Wisconsin Grana |
Maple Syrup |
At the American Culinary Federation’s ChefConnect: Baltimore in February 2015, the IPC served up Idahopotato duck-fat fries with a choice of toppings: traditional poutine or a regional version with crab-cake chunks, cheese curds and remoulade sauce.
This February in Chicago, the Haymarket Brewery organized a poutine fest to raise funds for a fund that supports disabled restaurant workers. The IPC supplied Idaho potatoes for the hot fries, and enjoyed the competition as nine participating restaurants served up an equal number of signature poutines:
- Bite Café–lamb gravy, lamb-belly cracklings, pickled green tomatoes.
- Rocking Horse–braised beef shank, cheddar Mornay sauce
- Bar Takito–chorizo gravy, smoked cheese, pickled sweet potato, cilantro, crispy rice
- Frontier–wild boar shank, crab cheese sauce (Piggy Crabby Poutine)
- Le Bouchon–beef bordelaise sauce, cheese curds, pickled corn chow chow, scallion greens
- Bad Apple–short ribs, caramelized onion, cheddar sauce, pickled jalapeño
- La Sirena Clandestina–Brazilian black beans (feijoada), provolone, sautéed Fresno peppers, cheese sauce
- Revolution Brewing–crispy pork belly, foie gras, blue-veined Gouda, chopped apple, pork demi-glace
- Haymarket Brewery–housemade lamb-sausage gravy, jalapeño breadcrumbs and dried cherries.
Needless to say, the preceding examples are just a taste of a myriad of poutine possibilities. The Idaho Potato Commission has more variations to share at foodservice.idahopotato.com.
Finally, a culinary reminder: Customer-pleasing poutines depend on customer-pleasing potatoes. Puttin Idaho French fries on your menu is one of the easiest ways to increase sales and improve profits. They’re quick to prepare and have a low food cost. In fact, 70% of foodservice menus include French fries—more than any other food. Click here for tips on preparing perfect fresh-cut French fries.
Visit these online resources for more information and inspiration on poutine:
- www.getflavor.com/the-promise-of-poutine
- www.foodserviceblog.idahopotato.com/q-dear-doctor-potato-if-poutinepopularityprofit-im-ready-to-hop-on-the-trend-how-do-i-create-a-signature-poutine-for-my-operation
- http://foodserviceblog.idahopotato.com/perfect-idaho-potato-poutine/
- http://foodserviceblog.idahopotato.com/reinvent-classic-potato-dishes/