Quick “Poutine”

Often when I want something “bad for me” when preparation time for dinner is short, I suggest this Quick “Poutine”.  It’s not completely authentic but it’s ridiculously fast and efficient to prepare.  I’m a big fan of meals where parts can be prepared in parallel and generate minimal dishes. This one is no exception.  It takes about 20 minutes to cook and uses off-the-shelf materials (that keep for a long time).

Ingredients

• About 350g Mozzarella Cheese (adjust amount of cheese to taste)
• 1 package of Frozen French Fries (I prefer the low-fat McCain fries but any of the thicker frozen fries that you bake in the oven will do).
• 1 packet of “just-add-water-and-boil” mushroom gravy (or sometimes specialty “Poutine” gravy is available which is vegetarian too).

Instructions

• Start the french fries first as per the cooking directions.  They will take between 15 and 20 minutes in a standard oven.
• While the fries are cooking, combine the gravy and prepare it according to the package.  This will usually take about 5 minutes.
• While the fries and the gravy are cooking, shred ALL of the mozzarella cheese.  I use a food processor to shred it into very fine bits.  The finer you shred it the more it melts.
• When the gravy is done, remove from heat and let thicken for 2-3 minutes.
• When the fries are done, combine in the following layers (repeating until you’re out of materials usually once or twice)
  • Fries
  • Cheese
  • Little bit of Gravy

This recipe will serve 2-4 people and clean-up should be minimal (all dishwasher-friendly!).