The Art of Poutine and Other Tasty Treats From Canada

Even though I’ve never thought of Canada as a foodie paradise I have to say that on my trip I did find some authentic Canadian food and it was pretty tasty. If I had to say there was a stereotypical Canadian food it would have to be Poutine, pronounced Poo – Teen.  Some would immediately go to Maple syrup but while extremely yummy it’s not an everyday staple like Poutine. You see it on every corner and in almost every restaurant. Poutine was originally started in Quebec but now can be found almost anywhere.. Even in some places in the US. The makeup of Poutine is pretty simple. Its basically just fries, gravy and cheese curds. A lot of restaurants around Toronto tend to class the original up a bit by adding meats and veggies but the basic ingredients are always the same. Here is the basic recipe of Poutine.

POUTINE

Ingredients

Gravy

• 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 1.33 Tbsp Water
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 13 .3oz beef broth
• 6.67 oz chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Fries

• 3-4 Medium Russet Potatoes
• Frying oil

Toppings

• White Cheddar cheese curds

Get a block of cheddar and cut it into 1 -2 inch cubes

1. Prepare the gravy in a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is golden brown.
3. Add the beef and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir this with a whisk. Stir in dissolved cornstarch and let simmer for 3-5 minutes to let thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste
4. Cut potatoes into ½ inch pieces. Place in a bowl of cold water, allow to stand for 1 hour.
5. Heat Oil
6. Remove fries from water and blot dry
7. Add fries to 300 degrees heated oil and fry for 5-8 minutes. Until fries are starting to cook but aren’t yet brown. Remove fries and put them on a wire rack. Increase oil temp to 375 and place fries back in oil till they are browned.
8. Place fries in a paper towel-lined bowl to dry
9.  gravy
10. Place fries in a bowl and top with gravy and add cheese curds and boom you have Poutine. Serve immediately

Another tasty treat I saw a lot of was something called a butter tart. As far as tarts go its a pretty simple one but highly regarded in Canada as a quintessential treat. While the filling is pretty mundane the toppings are varied making them a little more interesting.

BUTTER TARTS

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY

• 2 ¼ cups flour, pastry flour is best to use but all-purpose will do
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening, Very cold and cut in cubes
• 1/2 cup butter, Very cold and cut in cubes
• 6 tbsp ice water, approximately, enough to bring the dough together

FOR THE FILLING

• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ½ cup raisins, substituting, pecans, walnuts or chocolate chips also make good variations

Instructions

TO PREPARE THE PASTRY

1. Pulse the cold butter and shortening into the flour sugar and salt using a food processor until the shortening or butter is reduced to pea-sized pieces.
2. Sprinkle the water over the surface and toss with a fork until the water is just incorporated into the dough. Do not overwork the dough; handle it only enough so that the dough stays together.
3. Form the dough into two rounds about an inch thick.
4. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for about a half hour.
5. Roll out on the lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds with 4-inch cutter. Fit into muffin cups. Chill in the fridge or freezer while you prepare the filling. Cold pastry heading into a hot oven will always be flakier.

TO MAKE THE FILLING

1. Combine all filling ingredients except raisins.
2. Mix well.
3. Sprinkle raisins in a single layer in the bottom of the pastry-lined muffin cups.
4. Fill 2/3 full with syrup mixture.
5. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven at 425 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack and remove tarts from pans.

Now there is some debate on whether the filling should be runny or firm. I’m team firm. If you like the firmer filling just add an additional egg and add ¾ cup brown sugar and decrease the corn syrup by ¼ cup.

Moving on to another sweet treat from our friends to the North. This one has a distinctly Canadian name. A Beavertail is a yummy doughnut with about a million different variations. Its a deep-fried pastry that’s flattened to resemble a beavers tail. It’s then traditionally covered with cinnamon and sugar but today it can be covered in jellies and even hazelnut butter… yumm

Heres the recipe for the this traditional Canadian treat

Beaver Tails

Ingredients:

1/4 cup warm water

8g pkg or 2-1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup milk, warmed

2 Tbsp butter, melted

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 eggs

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 L vegetable oil for deep-frying

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1 cup of sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Add melted butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs. Give everything a good mix together. Add flour and mix with the dough hook (or with a wooden spoon if you’re not using a mixer) and mix until the dough comes together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Knead for about 6 minutes in the mixer and 10 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth, silky. Use extra flour if the dough is sticky.

3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Punch down dough and place onto a lightly floured countertop. Shape into 8 equal sized pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough into an oval shape. If you like, score a crisscross pattern in the top of the dough.

5. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet and leave to rise, covered, for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

6. Make cinnamon sugar by combining sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.

7. Heat a large wide pot with about two inches of oil. Heat to 350F/176C. If you don’t have a thermometer, check the oil’s temperature by tearing off a small piece of dough and see if it sizzles and floats to the surface. Keep a close eye on the oil, adjust the temperature as needed to prevent it from getting too hot. If you see it smoking or crackling take off the heat to cool down before frying.

8. Fry your doughnuts on each side for 30-60 seconds until they are golden brown. Dunk immediately in cinnamon sugar or top with lemon and sugar, Nutella, jam or my favorite, maple syrup!

                Canada tends to be a little cold so I can understand why a hearty soup would make the list.  Split Pea soup is a staple Canadian food and you can find about a million different recipes. The one I like the best is pretty basic with ham but still pretty tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

• 16-ounce bag of dried split peas
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 smoked ham hock, about 11 ounces (assuming 4 ounces meat removing bone and skin)*

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash the peas and drain.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the peas, carrots, ham hock and chicken broth, then cover the pot and let it come to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Once it boils, reduce heat and cook for about 2 hours, or until the peas are soft and thickened.
5. Make sure to check the liquid and consistency. You may need to add hot water if it becomes too thick.
6. Remove ham hock, discard the skin and boned and serve with ham.

Savory comfort food is a must especially when temps can regularly drop down below zero. This recipe comes from the province of Quebec. Tourtiere is made with spiced minced meat and potatoes. This is a dish that is usually served at or around Christmas. There is a lot of variations from family to family but here is a basic recipe to get you started.

Tourtiere

Ingredients.

Pastry

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup butter or lard
• 6-7 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 2 large potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry or your favorite poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg scrambled for glazing
•  

Prepare the Pastry

1. In a large bowl, combine flour with the salt. Cut in butter or lard until mixture is a roughly even crumbly texture. Add water and blend just until the dough comes together.
2. Shape into a rough disc, wrap and chill in the refrigerator. While the pastry is chilling, prepare to fill.

Prepare the Filling

1. Cook potatoes in a pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2-cup of potato water and drain the rest. Mash potatoes and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook the onion, garlic beef and pork over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
3. Combine the seasonings in a small bowl and add to the meat mixture in the skillet.
4. Add the reserved potato water. Mix in well and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
5. Remove the pan from heat, stir in mashed potatoes, and set aside to cool.
6. Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C
7. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half and flatten one ball of dough with your hands. Roll dough to about 12-inches in diameter to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
8. Place the pastry into the pie plate and add the meat filling.
9. Brush around the outer edge of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the top pastry and place on top of the filling.
10. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust and pinch or flute the edges. Brush with egg wash and cut vent holes.
11. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
12. Remove the tourtière from oven and let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Yield: Makes 1 pie, about 8 servings.

My final favorite Canadian food is Canadian Peameal bacon. Its a wet cured pork loin rolled in cornmeal and sliced. Just to clear up any confusion Canadian Peameal bacon is not what Americans call Canadian Bacon, which isn’t Canadian or bacon…. Yes, we Americans were confused.

Canadian Peameal Bacon

2- to 4-pound pork loin, preferably organic, trimmed but leaving the 1/8-inch fat cap

For the Brine:

4 cups of water

1 cup real maple syrup

1 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons Prague Powder No. 1 Cure or pink salt

3 teaspoons slightly crushed peppercorns

5 cloves garlic, crushed slightly

4 bay leaves (optional)

For the coating:

Coarse ground cornmeal

Have the butcher trim any visible silverskin off the pork loin, and trim any excess fat on it down to about a 1/8- to 1/4-inch layer. If the pork loin is really long, cut it in half.

Make the brine by combining the water and remaining ingredients (except for the cornmeal) together in a medium pot. Place over medium heat and whisk until salts and brown sugar are dissolved. Allow to cool.

Place a resealable plastic bag in a tall container (I use a 5-quart, 8-inch diameter stock pot). Place the loin pieces in the bag, standing them on end, if you can. Pour the cold brine over the meat to cover. If needed, add cold water to the brine to ensure the pork loin is immersed. Pressing out as much air as possible, zip-seal the bag. If the meat wants to rise, weight it down. I place a pint jar filled with water, which sinks them. The meat must be fully immersed in the brine.

Refrigerate, pot and all, for 3½ to 5 days, depending on the thickness of the loin. Remove the pork loin from the brine and rinse, then pat dry. Roll the meat in a dish of cornmeal, pressing it in until a nice, even layer sticks.

To make slicing easiest, wrap the peameal bacon in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then put it in the freezer until firm, but not frozen, about 1 hour. Return the bacon to a board and slice to whatever thickness you prefer. Aim for thickish slices, about 1/4-inch each.

Refrigerate the bacon until ready to cut and serve, or freeze as follows: Fan 4 or 5 slices on a piece of plastic wrap and make a tight package. Put several packages in a plastic bag and freeze. Take out a pack at a time as needed.

To cook: Snip the fat in a few places so the bacon doesn’t curl, then pan-fry in a heated skillet along with a little oil, just a few minutes a side. You know when it’s ready when the fat is brown and sizzling, and the meat is pink.

My trip to Canada showed me a lot about how they live in the North but I think my favorite is the food. These are just a few of the wonderful foods in Canada. I hope you’ll try at least a couple. Trust me they’re worth the time and effort.