Recipe Vortex

FRIES*

4 medium russet potatoes (unpeeled // or sub sweet potatoes for a savory-sweet poutine!)

3-4 Tbsp avocado or melted coconut oil (if avoiding oil, see notes)

1/2 tsp sea salt

GRAVY*

3 Tbsp avocado or melted coconut oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)

2 medium shallots (minced)

1 1/2 cups diced button or cremini mushrooms

1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp 1 tsp coconut aminos (optional)

3 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot // if not GF, sub all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup vegetable broth (DIY or store-bought)

1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

1-2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce or ketchup* (optional // such as Annie’s brand, which isn’t GF or this one for GF!)

Cheese curds or mozzarella cheese or vegan cheese etc.

FRIES: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C) and chop potatoes into thin slices by halving lengthwise then cutting into wedges and then strips. For “wedges,” cut into larger pieces – both work the same, but matchsticks cook faster.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (amount as original recipe is written // use fewer or more pans if altering batch size). Add fries, oil (see notes for substitution), and salt and toss to coat. Then arrange fries in a single layer, making sure they aren’t overlapping too much. This will help them crisp up and cook evenly.

Bake for a total of 25-35 minutes, tossing/flipping at least once to ensure even baking. When the fries are finished, remove from oven and set aside.

GRAVY: While fries are baking, prepare gravy by heating a rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and shallots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add mushrooms, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and coconut aminos (optional).

Stir and increase heat to medium high to brown the mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until they are slightly caramelized. Then add the cornstarch and stir to coat. It should look dry at this point – that’s OK.

Lower heat to low and slowly add the broth and almond milk while whisking. It should resemble gravy pretty quickly and should bubble and thicken as it cooks.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Add broth or almond milk to thin if it becomes too thick.

Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth (optional but recommended). Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper to taste or more Worcestershire or coconut aminos for more depth of flavor. See notes for other additions if you desire more depth of flavor.

Return gravy to stovetop and heat on lowest heat to keep warm.

FOR SERVING: Add all of the baked fries to one baking sheet. Then divide the Vegan Mozzarella Cheese into 1 tsp “curds” and add to the baked fries (I used just shy of 1 batch of the recipe). Then place fries back in oven on the top rack on medium-to-low broil so the cheese can melt and get slightly browned. Watch carefully so the fries don’t burn – 3-5 minutes.

Pour the gravy over top and dig in! This is a dish best enjoyed fresh! However, the cheese will store separately in the fridge up to 10 days (see notes for other uses). The gravy will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days (reheat on stovetop for best results – add more almond milk or broth to thin if thickened), and the fries will store for 2-3 days (reheat in oven at 350 degrees F (176 C) for best results).

Notes

*FRIES: If avoiding oil, first steam your potatoes in a large steamer basket (covered) until almost tender – about 10 minutes. Then arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets and season with salt. Bake at 400 degrees F (204 C) until slightly golden brown – about 15 minutes. The fries won’t be as crispy, but they’ll still be delicious.

*GRAVY: For more flavor, other additions might include a little nutritional yeast and/or maple syrup.

*Based on my research, ketchup seemed to be a fairly common addition to poutine gravy. However, the idea of ketchup in gravy weirded me out. I tried it and didn’t like it. I found balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos, and a touch of Worcestershire to strike a good flavor balance.

*CHEESE: If you have leftover cheese, it can be used on things like sandwiches, caprese salads, pasta bakes, breadsticks, or pizza!

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 6 servings with all of the suggested oil, all of the gravy, and all of the vegan cheese.