Tuesday, February 10, 2009

I Love Canada!

I've never been to Canada (although one time I almost took a road trip to Niagara Falls while visiting Indiana ... it fell through at the last minute). But after seeing veganized versions of the traditional Canadian poutine dish — fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds — appear on the blogs, I knew I HAD to try it. I'm a fan of anything loaded with gobs of gravy!

First, I cut some fries using my new mandolin's julienne blade. I sprayed the fries with non-stick cooking spray and baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes (I really didn't time it ... just kept sampling until they were done).

Then, I whipped up a quick gravy using a cup of water, a couple tablespoons of flour, and an un-chicken boullion cube. For the cheese curds, I mashed about a fifth of a tofu block with some vegan mayonnaise and a teensy pinch of sugar.

Wow! Wikipedia tells me poutine is a Canadian comfort food, often served at fast food joints there (even McDonald's and Burger King). And after one bite, I believe in poutine's comforting powers. This plate was a little too much food for me, but I had an extremely hard time stopping when I was full. I could eat this stuff everyday. Seriously. Thank you, Canada!

28 comments:

Hungry Hungry Dancer said...

god.. that sounds like an old favorite drunk food of mine... fries with melted cheese and gravy... so not vegan

The Voracious Vegan said...

This. Is. AMAZING!!!

I love french fries, I too love anything smothered in gravy, and vegan cheese just can't be beat.

I'm starving right now...I just might have to make this for lunch.

FABULOUS!

Anonymous said...

This sounds really interesting!

Have you ever seen that southpark film? Whenever someone mentiones Canada I have to think of the "Blame Canada" film they're singing. That's the only think I remember from that movie.

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Lovely!!

MeloMeals said...

Wow! It's 9am and I'm craving this!

I actually have all of the ingredients on hand to make it. Maybe we'll do it for dinner tonight?

Anonymous said...

Yummmm, I always love cheese fries so I bet this would be a good substitute.

Laura said...

i have never heard of this dish, but i think it is my duty as a citizen of the world to make this. and do it immediately! thanks bianca!!

Anonymous said...

OMG! That sounds and looks so good. I absolutely have to try it!

Anonymous said...

Yes, anything smothered in gravy is awesome. And for the pizza I have been mixing FYH with veganrella and using the broiler. It seems to melt it better and make it dark.

Anonymous said...

So glad you like it! (I was practically raised on the stuff). I just had poutine last week, actually, but yours is the first other vegan version I've seen on blogs, though--must have missed those other ones!

T said...

Poutine has always scared me on trips to canada- "curds?" But this looks awesome.

I have to say though, I would probably demolish those fries with some ketchup before I got to the gravy...

Jen said...

yep, i had some real poutine a year or so ago in the pregan days. i'm so happy that us vegans have the superpowers to veganize just about anything.

Zucchini Breath said...

I was just thinking of poutine yesterday. Oh, good! that is something I can put my Ketchup on. If it works.

Veganissexy said...

Oh goodness if that isn't a plate full of deliciousness. What a site for sore eyes. Yum.

aTxVegn said...

Kinda like chili cheez fries. I bet your version tasted really yummy, esp. since you baked your fries.

jessy said...

sweet jeebus, Bianca! that is some serious canadian deliciousness go'n on right there! i'm with you - a fan of anything loaded with gobs of gravy! totally going to have to make this! oooooooooh, yay!

Anonymous said...

Yum! I love me some vegan poutine - using tofu for the cheese curds is genius! I had some in Portland that used delicious mushroom gravy and FYH cheese, and it was super tasty, but I think tofu (or even tofu ricotta!) would make an even better version.

Now someone has to make a vegan version of those fries with cheese and ranch dressing and bacon.

Lisa said...

you had me at fries!!

Gina said...

The fries and gravy is supposedly a popular Jersey diner feature also, but I have never had them. Your version looks way good though!

Vegan_Noodle said...

Sounds like some good Canadian comfort food to me! Your fries look perfect. I want a mandolin!

Mike K said...

My kind of food! Good job on veganizing something that mostly consists of gravy and cheese curds. Also, it's nice to see an example of Canadian cuisine - I grew up not far from the border, so a lot of their food feels pretty familiar.

River (Wing-It Vegan) said...

I'm in love with your super skinny and long fries! They are supermodel-fries! :P

Seriously, the whole dish looks ridiculously delicious!

Susan G said...

This looks awesome - I love anything with gravy. Add potatoes and tofu ricotta - heaven on earth!

Anonymous said...

This Canadian says "wow"--that poutine looks great! the curds are lovely!

Anonymous said...

You're welcome.

Chelsea said...

There's a belgian frites cart here in Ptown that serves vegan poutin... I haven't tried it but I heard they use cubes of FYH for it. Sounds (and looks, haha!) like awesome drunk food!

Anonymous said...

Actually, poutine is not so much canadian. Its Quebecois!!! Vive le Québec!!

L.A.M.M. said...

I just made this today and as a Canadian and a poutine conoisseur, it is not bad at all.