I have a confession to make. I’m in love with Canada and have been so for six-going-on-seven years. I first felt the twinges of this romance when I came here in 2008 to work on a tall ship, as well as a film, for four months. Then I fell in love with a Canadian and stayed here on and off for another year until we broke up. Though that relationship ended, it didn’t change my heart towards Canada. Instead it gave me an oppurtunity to really get to know this country. I became enamored with the world-renown friendliness of the people here, the rugged beauty of most of the land, the deep passion for winter sports, socialism – dare I say it? yes, yes I do -, the strong ties and appreciation for maritime history, their approach to multiculturalism, and just how similar the Martimes are to my own home state of Maine.

But just like any lover, there are those things that can never be quite understood. Curling is a good example of something I just don’t get about Canada. There’s also the over-use of the word “eh”, the prime minister’s Christmas card featuring his pet chinchilla, and that milk is sold in bags here. Poutine was on that list up until this afternoon when I experienced an enlightenment of my taste buds from the perfection that is the combination of fries, gravy, and cheese. Why had I avoided this cultural favorite for so long?

In all fairness, I did have my reasons, starting with the fact that poutine is generally not vegetarian. Sometimes I feel limited by my diet, but when I learned what poutine was – fries covered in a gelatinous brown gravy, topped with squeaky cheese curds – I wrote it off as disgusting and felt that I was fortunate to be missing out on Canada’s favorite guilty pleasure. I now admit I was too judgemental and not open-minded enough to a cultural dish near and dear to the heart of the country I love so much.

Poutine originated in Quebec at a greasy spoon sometime during the 1950s according to food legend – and in case you might be wondering, a greasy spoon is to Canada what diners are to the US and are just as equally loved. There are several places that claim to be the birthplace of what is considered to be Canada’s national dish. But almost all the stories I’ve heard so far, are that a patron asked a cook to add cheese curds to his fries and gravy, with the cook declaring in French “It will make a damn mess!” – poutine being a Québécois slang term for “mess”. Thus poutine was created and has since gone on to be enjoyed by the rest of Canada and now even being found in places throughout the States and Europe as well. Though the rest of the world might be indulging in Quebec’s favorite embarrassment, I was still not convinced. Until this afternoon.

At lunch I met up with my friend Tasha, who I’ve been staying with for most of my time here. Halifax has an excellent selection of restaurants, and today we chose a vegetarian one called “Heartwood”. I highly recommend it! Not only do they primarily source local and organic and are flexible with alternative diets – vegan, raw, gluten-free -, but they also do some cool kitchen magic like make their own sprouts and sour dough on site – yess! It’s familiar food – burgers, pizzas, nachos, and Asian bowls – with a loving upgrade – beet burgers with cashew mayo or your own personal, chef-created, original pizza. There was a lot of indecision because of all the delicious options.

But finally I settled for the “Green Poutine”. The description of regular and sweet potato fries mixed with broccoli, covered in a portabella mushroom gravy, baked with a blanket of cheddar cheese, and served with a side of kale chips finally convinced me to give this favorite a fair chance once and for all. Canada, you were never wrong on this one! My first bite was a comfy, creamy, savory heaven I’d never known before and I am now a happy convert to the doctrine of Poutine!

I admit, I may be a little bit of a health-nut/food-snob/granola-hippie. But if it took ingredients like super food broccoli, nutrient-dense sweet potatoes, and cancer-kicking mushrooms to convince me, I don’t see any harm in it. I just needed to find an interpretation of a classic dish that appealed to me and how I like to eat! That’s the great thing about cooking, there aren’t any real rules, just you, your tongue, and your body and what makes you happy. I know I’ll probably get a few raised eyebrows from the French in Quebec, but I expect such an action from people famous for preserving the propriety of their traditions – and there is nothing wrong with that!

If you’re interested in trying Poutine the traditional way, believe me, there are tons of food stands within Canada and plenty of internet resources beyond the border. But here I would like to offer my own recreation and version of a divinely delicious dish that is completely guilt-free indulgence. Trust me and trust Canada on this one!

Green Poutine

1 lb Russet or other variety of baking potatoes, cut into fries

1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into fries

2 tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt + more to taste

1 tsp pepper + more to taste

 3 tbs + 2 tsp butter or vegan margarine

8 oz baby bella/cremini mushrooms, finely diced

1 tbs ground sage

2 tsp dried thyme

3 tbs cornstarch

3 cups milk or non-dairy beverage of choice

1/3 cup all-purpose flour or favorite gluten-free blend

2 tbs Braggs liquid amino acids

1 crown of broccoli, stems and florets chopped

6 oz cheese curds, preferably fresh (optional if unavailable)

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

• Preheat the over to 425°F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with aluminum foil.
• Toss the baking potatoes and sweet potatoes with the olive, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Place in preheated oven and baked to desire textured, 20 – 40 minutes. Time will depend on how large and crispy you like your fries. For skinnier and/or softer fries, shorter time, and for larger and/or crisper fries, longer. I recommend setting a timer for every ten minutes to check on the progress of your fries and to rotate them with a spatula or wooden spoon to guarantee even baking. Once the fries are done, remove from oven, taste test for salt and pepper, and reduce heat to 350°F.
• While the fries are in the oven, begin the mushroom gravy. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tsp of the butter/margarine. Add the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and have given up their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and thyme and stir for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a medium sauce pan over low heat, melt the remaining 3 tbs of butter/margarine. Add the cornstarch and stir continually until a thick, sticky mixture forms, being careful it doesn’t brown or burn.
• One cup at a time, whisk in the milk/non-dairy beverage, stirring until smooth before adding the next cup. Add the flour/gluten-free mix a little at a time, whisking the mixture evenly, until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
• Increase heat to medium and stir in mushroom mixture along with the Braggs. Taste test and add more salt and pepper if you would like. Let the gravy heat up and the flavors to meld, being careful that it doesn’t bubble, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a 9X13″ casserole dish toss together the fries, broccoli, and cheese curds. Pour mushroom gravy evenly over the mixture. To finish it off, sprinkle everything with cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and has just started to bubble and  with a few golden spots, 15 – 20 minutes. Enjoy this famous mess warm!