“Cheesy chips and gravy – what could be more FatSteak Club?” was the response to my suggestion to the team I had a go at the Canadian classic: poutine.

As a northerner I’m accustomed to boozy night outs ending with cheesy chips, frequently with a splash of gravy. It is the kind of savoury carb hit needed in such circumstances. But when I first had true poutine it was on another culinary plane altogether. Why? How? The key is the cheese, or more importantly, the cheese curd, that provides the salty, squeaky, stringy centre to this dish.

I sourced mine online from Gould’s Cheddar and they even have a recipe for poutine themselves. I was setting out to recreate the poutine I had tried a specialist stall in Liverpool’s Baltic Market (now sadly closed), and after a quick check of various recipes reckoned I knew how to make good fries and gravy so it is just a case of throwing them together…

Step 1 - The fries

• Wash and peel the potatoes

• Chop into thin fries: 5 – 6 mm thick

• Leave, covered, to soak in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 mins (make the gravy while you wait)

• Drain and pat dry the potato sticks then cook in a deep fat fryer at 190 C until golden

• Drain and shake off any excess oil

Step 2 - The gravy

• Finely chop the shallot and sweat in a high sided pan with a little butter

• Once the shallot has softened, add the flour and stir until cooked (a few minutes)

• Add the chicken stock (I keep half litre batches in the freezer and these can be added direct) and bring to a simmer

• Throw in the vinegar, ketchup and add a splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional) and either reduce to your desired thickness or thicken with gravy powder (my preferred way)

Step 3 - Curds away

• Drain your cheese curds and scatter over the fries

• If you prefer your cheese super melty give this mixture a 1 minute blast in the microwave at this stage

Step 4 - Assemble the dish

• Pour the gravy over the fries and curds

• Sprinkle with the chopped spring onions

• Dig in!

Ingredients - Poutine

• 3 large Maris Piper potatoes

• Vegetable oil for the deep fat fryer

• 1 small shallot

• Butter

• 1 dsp plain flour

• 500 ml chicken stock

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp of ketchup

• Worcestershire sauce (optional)

• Gravy powder (optional)

• 200g cheese curd (or possible alternative such as pizza mozzarella)

• 2 spring onions (finely chopped)