Poutine Wrap

[kit]

Want to make something different? Try a Poutine Wrap.
"What is Poutine?" you ask.

Poutine is a combination of foods that originated in Quebec and can be found in many areas of Canada. It's a snack food, or can accompany a main dish. It's French fries, cheese curds and chicken gravy. Traditionally, it's a bit messy to eat so I make a version that's easier to handle and involves much less mouth and hand wiping and washing. Here's how I make it...

You'll need:
French fries - either fresh or frozen, but cooked.
Cheese curds - (I use grated cheddar cheese)
Chicken gravy - available in a jar or can be mixed from a packet
10" flour tortilla(s)

Microwave a 10 flour tortilla for about 10 seconds to warm and soften it.
Put French fries in a line in the middle, except for the last 2 inches.
Cover the fries with grated cheese (whatever kind you like).
Cover the whole thing with chicken gravy (don't soak it).
Fold the empty 2" area over the mixture to form a 'bottom'' then roll up the wrap.
Microwave about 45-60 seconds to start the cheese melting and warm up the ingredients.
Remove and enjoy.

This technique allows you to be creative and add other ingredients if you wish. Many variations are possible. Let your imagination be your guide.

[Clipper]

Thanks for the recipe Kit. Having a French Canadian father and having spent some time each summer on a dairy farm with cousins in Quebec, I love poutine. They actually sold their cream to a creamery, fed the skim milk to calves and pigs, and made their own butter and cheese, so the cheese curds were home made. I have made a reasonable facsimile with frozen fries, store bought cheese curds and jarred gravy and ate it from a plate with a fork, but the idea of making a wrap is absolutely ingenious. I will be trying it soon. I made it once with a good quality, large curd cottage cheese and it was pretty good, but not as good as with curds.

This recipe will have me looking forward to our next trip to either Chattenooga or Atlanta. There is a cheese factory on a large dairy farm in Sweetwater Tn ( just off of I-75, South of Knoxville) that I always stop at. I usually buy a bag of curds to munch while driving, along with a variety of great cheeses. NOW I will be looking forward to the curds with a renewed interest and eager anticipation.

[kit]

I never heard of Poutine until 1964 when The Nitecaps (including Uncle Jim) played in Ogdensburg NY. In one of the local greasy-spoons, many people put chicken gravy on their French fries. I thought they were nuts. Then, one day a few of us drove to Quebec and I saw Poutine for the first time with cheese curds added. They'd slop it all on a plate and the Canadians would go after it like finger food. Messy to say the least, but it tasted real good although it wasn't the healthiest, but being only 20 years old, who cared about health? Then many years went by.

A few weeks ago I got to thinking about the wonderful taste of Poutine, but remembered the mess, so why not wrap the whole thing up in a tortilla and keep the mess inside? I did and it worked.

Like Clipper, I also use frozen French fries and gravy out of a jar. It keeps things quick and simple. Cheese curds or grated cheese??? It depends on what mood I'm in and what I have on hand.