Poutine with Oka Cheese and Fresh Chervil

This recipe for poutine with oka cheese and fresh chervil is from episode 8 of This Food That Wine.

Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Franc 

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable or peanut oil for frying (1 Litre)
• 4 medium sized russet potatoes, scrubbed well  
• 1 cup grated Oka cheese (250 ml)
• 1 cup peppercorn gravy, prepared (250 ml)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chervil, stems removed (15 ml)
• Course salt to taste

Directions

1. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to preheat oil in a deep fryer to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
2. Cut the well scrubbed potatoes into 1/4 inch wide sticks. Place the French fries into a large bowl and cover completely with cool water. Soaking the potatoes removes the excess starch from the potatoes which will result in a crisper French fry.
3. Grate the Oka cheese using a cheese grater and set aside.
4. Drain the water from the potatoes using a colander. Pat the potatoes completely dry using paper towel.
5. Pour the gravy into a small sauce pan and place it over medium-low heat to gently heat the gravy until warm.
6. Place the dried potatoes into the preheated oil. Cook the potatoes until the potatoes are tender and have little or no colour, approximately 6 -8 minutes.  Remove from fryer, shake excess oil from fries and place on to a paper towelled lined plate. Depending on the size of your deep fryer you may have to repeat this process 2-3 times. Ensure that the oil returns to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) before each batch is pre-cooked.
7. Increase the temperature on the deep fryer to 395F.  Allow the oil to preheat.
8. Place the blanched fries carefully into the hot oil.  Again be sure not to over crowd your fryer. Allow the chips to cook for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy.  Remove from fryer shake off excess oil and place on to a clean paper towelled lined plate.  Immediately sprinkle with the course salt. Repeat this process until all French fries are cooked.

Pairing Notes

Description: Cabernet Franc is a medium bodied red wine that is fairly low in tannin, making it smooth in your mouth.  It has intense raspberry and blackberry flavour and a distinct peppery aroma similar to jalapeño pepper.  

Pairing: Here’s an example where a medium bodied wine is just right. A bigger wine, like a Shiraz or a Cabernet Sauvignon, would probably overpower this dish, but the Cabernet Franc is perfect. It’s big, but it’s not huge, and it has a really nice smooth texture, so it cleanses your palate after each bite and is in balance with the oka cheese and fries. The green, peppery flavour of this wine mirrors both the peppercorn sauce and the chervil sprinkled on top.

Wine Suggestion: Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc V.Q.A. (Niagara Peninsula, Canada)