From the African roots of Southern soul food to the eating habits of trendsetting millennials, Hormel Foods is exploring the dishes and stories behind food heritage through an online video series called Cooking and Culture.
Chef Lamar Moore, executive chef and restaurateur, and Megan Elliott, brand manager at Hormel Foods, joined us for this episode of Cooking & Culture.
Ingredients
Gravy | |
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3 | tablespoons cornstarch |
2 | tablespoons water |
6 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
¼ | cup unbleached all purpose flour |
20 | ounces beef broth |
10 | ounces chicken broth |
pepper, to taste |
Fries | |
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2 | pounds Kennebec potatoes |
peanut or other frying oil, to cover |
Poutine | |
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10 | ounces diced JENNIE-O® turkey |
1½ | cups cups white cheddar cheese curds, prepared per package directions |
Directions
For the Gravy
In a large saucepan, melt butter and add the flour, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns golden brown. Add the beef and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Stir in dissolved cornstarch and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season with pepper. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary, to taste. Make ahead and re-warm or keep warm until your fries are ready.
For the Fries
Prepare your potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks. Place into a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Allow to stand at least one hour or several hours. When ready to cook, heat your oil in your deep fryer or large, wide, heavy cooking pot to 300° F.
Remove the potatoes from the water and place onto a sheet of paper towel. Blot to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
Add your fries to the 300°F oil and cook for 5-8 minutes, just until potatoes are starting to cook but are not yet browned. Remove potatoes from oil and scatter on a wire rack. Increase oil temperature to 375°F and return the potatoes to the fryer to cook until potatoes are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl.
For the Poutine
Add your fried or baked fries to a large, clean bowl. Season lightly with salt while still warm. Add a ladle of hot poutine gravy to the bowl. Toss the fries and turkey with tongs in the gravy. Add more gravy, as needed to mostly coat the fries. Add the cheese curds and toss with the hot fries and gravy. Serve with freshly ground pepper immediately.