Gluten Free Poutine with Ancho Chile Gravy

Gluten Free Poutine with Ancho Chile Gravy is my version of this unusual Canadian favourite. Originating in the province of Quebec, classic poutine is a bowl of French fries and gravy topped with cheese curds. I always have leftover ancho chile gravy from my holiday turkey so the idea to make poutine suddenly pops into my mind.

this gluten free recipe

I deep fry the old fashioned way with a wok full of oil on my stove. Sometimes I'll get organized to deep fry two nights in a row or just make two deep-fried dishes. The other recipes I might make when I've got oil for frying are Corn Dogs, Battered Fish or calamari.

Ingredients

This is the kind of recipe gluten free cooks can embrace. When I set out to make this poutine I cooked chicken wings to have the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan to make my Ancho Chile Gravy.

• fresh poblano chiles (substitute with Anaheim chiles or green bell peppers)
• dried ancho chiles with soaking liquid
• masa harina
• gluten free chicken stock (or pan juices if you cooked chicken wings or turkey)
• potatoes
• oil for frying
• cheese curds

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Variations

The combination of flavours and textures is delightful and variations of this dish can be seen on restaurant menus across Canada. From pulled pork to lobster there is no end to the unique interpretations of poutine. There are breakfast and dessert versions too.

Holiday Poutine: There are more variations for poutine than you can think of. My favourite is a Holiday Turkey Poutine. I always have leftover gravy from my Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey dinner. I'll make this exact recipe with shredded turkey and cranberry salsa, a recipe not to be missed!

Red Wine Gravy: Gravy is the impetus to make poutine in my house. If I made Beef Rouladen and have leftover red wine gravy, that's all I need to have to create a new variation.

Brown Gravy: I make onion gravy for my Salisbury Steak recipe so there is another variation for poutine. Top it with little meatballs using the same Salisbury steak recipe if that sounds good to you.

Tips for Homemade French Fries

The crispiest French fries are soaked in cold water to remove some of the starch which prevents them from sticking so plan accordingly. Then they should be twice fried for maximum crispiness. Just get yourself set up, cook them once and let them cool. Then when everything else is ready, do the final frying and serve them piping hot.

Deep frying is a technique that takes a little practise. You probably have to make French fries a few times before you get the exact temperature and time to cook your fries perfectly. Making notes is the quickest way to remember how you did it.

Get The Tools

A mandoline slicer is the tool to make evenly cut potatoes for French fries or thin sliced potatoes for scalloped potatoes. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with my mandoline, if you own one you might know what I mean. A good chef's knife also works well to cut potatoes by hand.

Do you deep fry at home once in awhile? If you own a deep-fryer then you’re set. I don’t. I just don’t deep-fry often enough that I ever wanted to buy one. But I do enjoy all kinds of deep fried treats so I have a great system for deep-frying in my flat-bottom wok. It’s not just the wok but also the long-handled strainer for turning and removing food from the oil, a thermometer and a few clean up tools. I have a large pyrex measuring cup that I put in the sink making it easy to pour the oil into. When the oil is completely cooled it is easy to pour back into the original container to be used again.

Poutine with Ancho Chile Gravy

This is Poutine with Ancho Chile Gravy. Poutine is a French Canadian specialty; French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds.

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Poutine with Ancho Chile Gravy

Author: Cinde Little

Ingredients

Ancho Chile Gravy

• ▢ 2 fresh poblano chiles (substitute with Anaheim chiles or green bell peppers)
• ▢ 2 dried ancho chiles
• ▢ ½ cup soaking liquid
• ▢ ¼ cup masa harina
• ▢ 2-3 cups gluten free chicken stock (you want 3 cups total of pan juices and stock)
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

French Fries

• ▢ 2 lbs potatoes
• ▢ oil for frying

POUTINE

• ▢ 4 oz cheese curds

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Instructions

Make Gravy

• Blacken ancho chile in heavy skillet over high heat until the colour darkens slightly and become fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer ancho chiles to medium bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove from liquid and pull chile away from stem, cut into large pieces. Reserve ½ cup soaking liquid.
• Char poblano chiles over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on all sides. Place in a plastic bag and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from bag, peel and seed chile. Cut chile into large pieces.
• Puree ancho and poblano chiles with soaking liquid. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance.)
• Add additional broth as needed to measure 3 cups total. Bring to a slow boil.
• Reduce heat, sprinkle masa harina over the pan juices and whisk until mixture thickens, scraping up brown bits, about 2 minutes.
• Add chile puree and simmer another 5 minutes to blend flavours. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with turkey and stuffing.

STOVE TOP FRYING PAN METHOD

• Cook chicken pieces in frying pan until browned. Remove and season or serve with your favourite sauce. (See notes for suggestions.)
• Return pan to stove and add 2-3 cups chicken stock. Bring to a slow boil.
• Reduce heat, sprinkle masa harina over the pan juices and whisk until mixture thickens, scraping up brown bits, about 2 minutes.
• Add chile puree and simmer another 5 minutes to blend flavours adding more chicken stock if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

FRENCH FRIES

• Cut potatoes into even sized pieces for French fries and put them into cold water for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Drain well on a tea towel before frying.
• Heat oil to 350-375°F. Line tray with paper towels.
• Working in batches cook potatoes until pale brown, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to paper towel to drain and cool. Continue until all potatoes are cooked once.
• Working in batches repeat process frying until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes.

SERVING

• Put French fries on plate, salt and pepper to taste. Pour gravy over top and sprinkle with cheese curds. Serve immediately.