Poutine with Gravy

Ingredients

Gravy:

500g soup vegetables (carrot, onion, celeriac, leek etc)
1 garlic bulb
500g beef bones or 1L beef stock
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs canola oil
2 bay leaves
4 juniper berries
3-4 Tbs corn flour

Chips:

1kg floury potatoes
1 Tbs plain flour
2L canola oil
Topping:
225g halloumi
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200 C (400 F).

Wash and coarsely dice soup vegetables. Place on a baking tray with garlic and beef bones and roast for 30 minutes.

Heat tomato paste and canola oil in a large saucepan. Deglaze with a little water.

Transfer roast vegetables, beef bones, bay leaves and juniper berries to saucepan and add 2 litres of water.

Simmer for 2 hours to reduce liquid by half. (If using beef stock, simply pour over roast vegetables, you don’t need beef bones in this case).

Strain liquid into another saucepan through a fine sieve. Bring to the boil.

Dissolve corn flour in 3 tablespoons of cold water and slowly whisk into gravy until it reaches desired consistency. Set aside.

Thoroughly wash potatoes and cut into chips. Transfer to a bowl and toss with flour.

Heat oil to 180 C (350 F) in a large saucepan. Deep fry chips in two batches, stirring occasionally. Cook until golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Divide chips among serving plates and crumble halloumi over top. Pour warm gravy over chips and serve immediately, garnished with a little parsley.

Credits: ‘Images and Text from Taste the Wild by Lisa Neischlag and Lars Wentrup. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99’.

Photo Credits: ‘Images and Text from Taste the Wild by Lisa Neischlag and Lars Wentrup. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99’.