What We’re Cooking This Week: Crispy Roast Potatoes With Cheese and Gravy

While nobody can agree on who invented it or where the name comes from, poutine—a pile of French fries mixed with cheese curds and topped with gravy—is often called Canada’s national dish. The French-speaking Québécois consider this cultural appropriation since poutine comes from the heart of the Francophone province, although its exact birthplace is still debated. Despite the controversial and murky origins, poutine remains incredibly popular because it’s delicious. And while cheffy versions featuring lobster, beef cheeks, and other fancier ingredients often appear, the classic is still the best.

But I don’t call my version poutine. I think actual potatoes taste much better than fries—which, unless you go to the trouble of making them yourself, almost always come from the freezer (and they’re okay alongside a burger with ketchup, but they don’t have the flavor of fresh spuds). And I love cheese curds, but every time I buy some I get mad that they cost as much as finished cheese. Curds don’t require the extra work to finish and age cheese, and it seems wrong that they’re not cheaper. So I roast potatoes until they get a little crispy, top them with chunks of soft, white cheese, and ladle on a simple beef-flavored gravy. It’s not poutine, but it’s close.

Recipe

Potatoes

2–3 tennis ball size yellow potatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher style sea salt

Heat the oven to 450F. Cut the potatoes in quarters lengthwise, then into slices as thick as French fry. Combine them with the oil and salt in a heavy skillet, toss well so they all get coated, and put the skillet in the hot oven. Stir after 20 minutes and cook for 20 minutes longer or until they’re nicely browned.