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"Poutine—that Québécois favorite of French fries topped with melty cheese curds and gravy—is a classic in Montreal, where I grew up. It's the favored post-night-out vodka-absorber at late-night eateries and diners. In recent years, though, famous Québécois chefs—Chuck Hughes and Martin Picard among them—have elevated the dish, adding luxe ingredients like butter-poached lobster and foie gras. My take on the marriage of high and low involves pairing America's beloved tater tots with a green-peppercorn demi-glace that replaces the traditional gravy and takes merely minutes to make." —Antoni Porowski from Antoni in the Kitchen 

Pro Tip from Antoni: Cheese curds, tangy chunks of mild, fresh cheese that are delicious eaten out of hand as a snack and great for melting, are found in cheese shops, larger supermarkets, and online. They’re sometimes called "squeaky cheese," for the sound they make when you bite into them. 

For more popular recipes from Antoni, check out his Turkey Meatloaf and Sheet Pan Chicken with Rosemary & Grapes

  

Ingredients

  • One 28-ounce bag frozen tater tots, preferably "Extra Crispy"
  • One 1 ½-ounce container beef or veal demi-glace (such as More Than Gourmet Glace de Veau Gold), dissolved in water to make 1 cup (follow the package instructions)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
  • 1 teaspoon green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 ounces (about 1 ¼ cups) cheese curds (see Tip), broken into small nuggets, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Yield

Serves: 4 to 6 as a side dish or snack

Preparation

Bake the Tater Tots as instructed on the package (leave some space between them on your baking sheet to help facilitate browning). 

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the demi-glace mixture, vinegar, and bay leaf to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter until the butter is just melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the green peppercorns and salt. Remove and discard the bay leaf. 

Place half of the piping-hot Tater Tots in a large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with half of the cheese curds and chives, then drizzle half of the sauce on top. Repeat to make a second layer. Serve immediately.

Excerpted from Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski. Copyright © 2019 by Antoni Porowski. Used with permission by Harvest. All rights reserved.