There are two Quebec exports we know will always rank amongst our faves: poutine and Céline(Dion, to be exact). And with the beloved chanteuse’s birthday coming up on March 30th, we got an idea we just couldn’t shake: why not combine these two iconic entities into one over-the-top, epically Canadian recipe, aptly titled the “Céline Poutine”? With special additions like smoked meat, red wine gravy and homemade everything bagel spice mixed in with the quintessential curds and fries, the result is a dish we’d drive all night for, to say the least. So bonne fête, Céline! We hope this culinary creation shows you the power of (our) love, and then some.

Check out the video below to see how the dish comes together and learn a few more Céline facts along the way, too.

 

 

Céline Poutine

You can make a double batch of the seasoning and keep it in a shaker to have on hand; it’s great sprinkled on everything from scrambled eggs, burgers, hummus, mashed potatoes.

*Soaking the cut potatoes results in crispier fries, the step removes extra starch.

Ingredients

Everything Bagel Seasoning:

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 tbsp dehydrated garlic flakes
• 1 tbsp flaked sea salt

Fries:

• 3 large russet potatoes
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil (or another high smoke point oil)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Red Wine Gravy:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup no sodium added beef stock
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toppings:

• 1 cup fresh cheese curds
• 1 cup Montreal smoked meat, shredded and warmed
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard

Preparation

Everything Bagel Seasoning:

Combine all of the ingredients and set aside.

Fries:

Wash the potatoes and cut them into ¼ inch-wide fries. Soak them in cold water for at least one hour or overnight, rinsing fries and changing water halfway through.* (If preparing the fries the day before or overnight, refrigerate the fries during the soak).

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Drain the potatoes and dry very well on paper towels.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the fries on top, drizzle with oil and season with kosher salt. Season with the everything bagel seasoning, reserving 1 teaspoon for garnish. Toss the fries well with tongs to evenly distribute seasoning and spread them evenly on the sheet pan, keeping fries in a single layer to prevent steaming.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip fries with a spatula, and bake another 10-15 minutes until the fries are crispy and brown.

Red Wine Gravy:

While fries are baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, whisking, for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Pour in the stock and red wine, whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Continue cooking until the gravy is reduced and thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes. Season to taste, turn off heat and cover to keep hot until assembly.

Assembly:

Arrange the fries on a platter. Sprinkle the cheese curds onto the fries and pour the hot gravy over top. Scatter the warm smoked meat over top and drizzle with yellow mustard. Sprinkle the reserved everything seasoning over everything and enjoy immediately.

Servings: Makes one large platter, enough for 4 people.