Reuben Poutine

Although I can't say I've been too pleased with some of Packer games so far, my snacks have been right on. I started off the season with Classic Poutine, and since then have come up with a few of my own variations, the first of which I'm sharing with you now. Adapting the Reuben to new dishes is kind of a theme with me (see Reuben Dip or Reuben Pizza), so it only seemed natural to make Reuben poutine. Classic poutine is a pure expression of savoriness, and while this poutine variation gains an extra salty, savory component (corned beef), the sour bite of the sauerkraut provides the perfect surprising contrast that allows each ingredient to pop. Although rye bread is swapped out for crispy fries and gravy replaces Thousand Island/Russian dressing, the spirit of the Reuben remains intact in this new spin on a classic. Perfectly paired with a porter or stout, this takes football snacking to a whole new level, satisfying even the heartiest of appetites.

Reuben Poutine
gravy adapted from The Food Network
serves 2

1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces frozen french fries
1/4 cup sauerkraut, drained and at room temperature or slightly warm

4 ounces shredded corned beef, at room temperature or slightly warm

4 ounces fresh cheese curds, at room temperature or slightly warm

1. Make the gravy: Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and beef stock, ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and make a roux, stirring until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the stock mixture into the roux and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Season the gravy with salt and pepper and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, bake the fries according to package directions. Shortly before the fries are ready to come out of the oven, strain the gravy.

4. Divide the fries evenly between two shallow dishes, layering half of the sauerkraut, corned beef, and cheese curds on top of each pile of fries. Pour half the hot gravy over each and serve warm.

Classic Poutine

Football season is here! And in my house, Packer games means Packer snacks (and now that I'm old enough, appropriate Wisconsin craft beer pairings). Packer games became a Sunday tradition with my dad when I was just a little girl, and although I've graduated from crying when the Packers lose, I still honor the football and snacking ritual I learned in my formative years. I wanted to start off this year with a bang (although apparently the Packers did not), so I decided to try my hand at poutine, one of my favorite indulgences. Although it is a French-Canadian dish in origin, poutine has Wisconsin written all over it. How a dish that features fresh cheese curds took so long to make its way to at least moderate renown in Wisconsin is beyond me, but I'm very glad it has. (The Coopers Tavern is my favorite place for poutine. I had to really resist the urge to dress it up right out the gate (my mind is filled a thousand ideas), but I thought it best to start with a basic recipe. In its easiest form, this could be made with store-bought gravy, curds, and fries, or in its most culinary permutation with homemade versions of all those things, but I struck a happy medium with high-quality frozen fries, fresh cheese curds from the farmers' market, and a homemade gravy based on a recipe from (a Canadian chef on) the Food Network. Springy and squeaky fresh curds are miles ahead of shredded cheese as a fry topping, the perfect contrast to crisp fries, all united under a blanket of silky gravy. This plate of pure savoriness wasn't quite enough to make up for the poor Packer performance, but sure did bring a smile to my face as I took my first bite the instant the kicker's foot hit the ball at kickoff (another tradition of mine). Though its roots lie in French-Canadian cuisine, this dish is more than at home in Wisconsin and the perfect snack for your next Packer party.

Classic Poutine
adapted from The Food Network
serves 2

1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

12 ounces frozen french fries
4 ounces fresh cheese curds, at room temperature

1. Make the gravy: Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and beef stock, ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and make a roux, stirring until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the stock mixture into the roux and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Season the gravy with salt and pepper and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, bake the fries according to package directions. Shortly before the fries are ready to come out of the oven, strain the gravy.

4. Divide the fries evenly between two shallow dishes; top with the cheese curds and gravy. Serve warm.

Memphis Sweet Potato Fries

I still had sweet potatoes left over after last week's attempt at sweet potato fries, so I thought I'd give a new recipe a try. Last week I went about as basic as you can get, so I decided to try one that is a little more complex, though by no means complicated. I'm always looking for more healthful substitutions to make in my diet, and sweet potato instead of regular potato fries is one I can easily get behind. These fries are salty and sweet and an excellent companion to burgers, brats, and myriad other things. I added a final dusting of freshly ground sea salt once the came out of the oven, but it is by no means necessary. Try them-you won't be disappointed!

Memphis Sweet Potato Fries
from Patrick and Gina Neely, via Food Network

4 T. olive oil
1 t. paprika
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide strips
1/2 t. salt
2 T. brown sugar

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, paprika and cinnamon. Toss the potato strips into mixture, to coat well, and spread onto baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and brown sugar.

3. Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Burgers and fries are a natural pair, but I was looking for something a little healthier and more imaginative to go with Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers, so I opted for sweet potato fries. This recipe couldn't be simpler, but it is important to cut the fries into matchsticks with square ends or you'll end with with blackened ends that are very unappealing. These fries will get black spots all over the outside, but they don't taste burnt (with the exception of crispy ends that weren't cut square).

Sweet Potato "Fries"
from Ellie Krieger

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled (2 medium potatoes)
1 T. canola oil
1/2 t. salt, plus more, to taste
Cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick matchsticks, and toss with the oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake until the "fries" are tender and crisp, about 30 minutes.

3. Season with additional salt, to taste. Serve immediately.