1/15/12

Video Attempt: Poutine

As per usual, a few things to note:
1. Thank you, Tim! I love when Internet friendships turn into real-world friendships.
2. If you attempt this dish at home, a few words of advice: invite friends and maybe include a giant salad. When I say, "Let's go finish this," at the end of the video, what I probably should have said is: "Let's go have a few more bites!" As it turns out, there's a reason why at Animal, this dish comes towards the end and is best shared with a group—it's super rich.

Poutine with Oxtail Gravy
I combined two recipes to make this crazy dish. If there's any trick, it's in timing it so that the French fries don't sit for too long before the gravy is ready. Definitely start with the oxtail and then, when it only has a half hour or so left in the oven, start the fries. That way, you can plate the hot fries; cover with the hot gravy and meat, and then sprinkle with cheese.

A stew of oxtail and onions via Nigel Slater's Tender
olive oil
oxtail (4 pounds)
large onions - 2
3 bay leaves
a glass of white wine
heavy cream 1 1/4 cups
smooth Dijon mustard - a tablespoon
whole-grain mustard - a tablespoon
1/2-3/4 cup cheese curds or grated cheddar (for sprinkling on top later)

Warm a little olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Season the oxtail all over with salt and black pepper. Lower into the oil and let color on all sides. Meanwhile halve, peel, and thinly slice the onions, while occasionally turning the meat so that it browns lightly and evenly. Remove the oxtail from the pot and add the onions, letting them soften a little but not color.

Preheat the oven to 325 (not 375, which is WRONG). Hide the meat among the onions, tuck in the bay leaves, and pour over the white wine. Lay a piece of buttered or oiled wax paper over the top, then cover with a lid. Bake for two and half hours, checking now and again that is not dry. If it is, add a little more liquid. Remove from the oven.

Lift the lid and remove the meat to a warm dish. Pour off any obvious fat from the pan, then stir in the cream and the mustards, and check the seasoning. Bring to a boil on the stove and bubble hard for five to ten minutes to reduce the quantity, stirring in any pan stickings as you go. Once it's reduced, you're good to go!

French fries via America's Test Kitchen
2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, dried, sides squared off, and cut lengthwise in 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch batons
6 cups peanut oil (I used Safflower oil.)
salt

Combine the potatoes and oil in a large Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until the oil has reached a rolling boil, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, without sitrring, until the potateos are pale golden and the exteriors are beginning to crisp, about 15 minutes. [the fragile Yukon Gold potatoe tends to break into pieces if you stir before giving it the full 15 minutes, so be patient here, friends!)

Using tongs, stir the potatoes, gently scraping up any that stick, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the fries to a thick paper bag or paper towels. Season with the salt to taste, check to see if Kennywood's open, and serve immediately. [And by serve, obviously, I mean, top with gravy, meat, and cheese!] [You're welcome!]

32 comments:

Matthew said...

The poutine was amazing! Next time please share some more pittsburgh slang... "Kennywood's open" is just the tip of the pittsburghese iceberg.

Corinne said...

That's a mighty fine etiquette book Tim's flashin. This looks so delicious. Oxtail might be my break through meat. Also, you're adorable!

Clare Vivier said...

yum! you make it looks so easy. i don't think i could make the fries.

Anonymous said...

oh mang, this looks just amazing

Jessica said...

You have NO IDEA how excited I was to see "video attempt" I am obsessed with these! Also, the Lottie and Doof cameo is priceless! So fun!
-Jess

Andrea said...

Great video! Before we watched this, I quizzed Adam on what "Kennywood's open" means (he got it right).

Natalie (NJ in L.A.) said...

That dish looks so rich and delicious. Nice cameo there Tim!

Tim said...

Wow.
Also, I love that there is a poutine recipe! All of my French-Canadian in-laws will be happy.
Thanks for the fun, guys! I can't wait for our feature-length film.

Anonymous said...

Woo! Canada!

charlotte au chocolat said...

You're just adorable. (That poutine looks to-die-for!)

Beth said...

I had no idea you were a Yinzer! Now I love Bon Appetempt even more ;-) That plate of crazy fries looks ridic.

Megan Taylor said...

Well that looks like just about the best thing I've ever seen!

Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy said...

I have just discovered you! It is a rainy day in Sydney and I am loving sitting here with a glass of wine and trawling through your archives. Love what you are about :)

sg said...

um... that was like the best. two of my internet favorites together!

Mary Anne said...

AHHHHHHH! I DIED to see Tim on your couch with his feet up! Sooo fun. I ate poutine in Montreal and loved it. But I think I could only eat it about once a year. It's hardcore! Can't believe you did it!

Anonymous said...

¡¡¡¡¡¿ Felicitaciones por tus exquisitas recetas ,me gusto tu forma de expresarte ,te felicito otra vez ,que seas muy feliz y gracias por tu generisidad y tus bellas palabras,desde CHILE saludos.

Sophie From Scratch said...

I loved this! I was in Canada 3 years ago and had poutine for the first time, forgot about the dish, then randomly had a lobster poutine yesterday. It was oddly delicious. I guess when you are covering french fries with gravy and cheese anyway, it's impossible to be over the top. P.s. I LOVE your blog.

Amelia Morris said...

@everyone thanks so much! so glad you're enjoying. and thanks again for the mailbag letters. ;) ;)

@corinne THANK YOU FOR THE ETIQUETTE BOOK. i love it.

@beth: I have a great yinzer story too...next time?

Anonymous said...

this looks hard. you're killing it with these vidz, amelia.

maybe you should send kennywood's your recipe?

Anne Zimmerman said...

Wow wow wow. I had that poutine at Animal with HBT and Alex. It is hardcore; I can't believe I liked it as much as I did!

Susan P. Cooper said...

OK now I will have got to try this. It looks easy and delicious. Thanks for sharing. :-), Susan Cooper

laura k said...

I have been obsessing about poutine for the last few weeks, but I never thought about making it myself! I'm always wary of making my own fries, largely because this IS how people get hurt. But you may have convinced me to go for it.

Amelia Morris said...

@susan cooper & laura k. - Go for it!! PLUS, this French fry recipe feels a little less intimidating since you start with cold oil and then bring it to a boil. know what i mean?

Unknown said...

I think this is my favourite video yet. Because of the beginning, which was even cleverer than the stocking intro was (and that was clever). And because I saw a bundle of green up on your wall and went "HEY HEY I KNOW WHERE THOSE CAME FROM!" (by the way thank you for the mention, which made me blush a little), and also because (this might be weird) your drying rack looks very neat and tidy. There's no rational reason why a neat drying rack should make me like a video more, but it does anyway.

penelope said...

LOL. I love how genuine you are!

Anonymous said...

I wish someone would have told me that Kennywood was open the other day.

Amelia Morris said...

yikes!!! it's always good to know!

Amelia Morris said...

check it out, Mare! Now I can respond to you personally!!!

Amelia Morris said...

Thanks, Rebecca! you're the best!

sara said...

Poutine! Never have I been so grossed out by the idea of something and then so pleasantly surprised by the actual eating of it.

Mark and Marsha said...

Can't eat Poutine because it probably would kill us, but the video is the best. We loved every second of it. Keep 'em coming. We can't wait for the next one.

Nathalie said...

Wow! You make it look so easy and the sauce looks delicious. I miss poutine and the only restaurant that serve poutine around here is an hour away in Toulouse. I'm canadian but moved to France two years ago and i miss the food from home sometimes. I'm gonna make me some poutine now!
Thanks for the recipe!