Poutine. That single word carries a whole piece of Québec’s identity. A humble dish at first glance—fries, cheese curds, and gravy—its simplicity reaches something deeply comforting, almost visceral. Its origin, however, remains shrouded in mystery. Several regions across the province lay claim to it, each with its own stories and its own pride. Who truly invented it? Perhaps we’ll never know, and truthfully that hardly matters. Poutine now belongs to everyone.
At home, it’s a classic. But every now and then I like to take it off its well-worn path—to push it a little further, to elevate it, adding ingredients that tell another story, a season, a landscape, a moment spent outdoors. I like to weave in what nature offers me through hunting and foraging. This version is one I’m particularly fond of. It’s a poutine that tells a story, maybe the story of your last hunt. Because there’s something deeply satisfying about finding, on your plate, the result of a moment lived outside. A direct connection between the act, the land, and the flavor.
In this recipe, I use Canada goose breast fillets, but feel free to substitute another waterfowl species. I also incorporate wild mushrooms, carefully foraged during my time in the forest. When you’re out there, you might as well keep your eyes open; the woods are often generous to those who take the time to look. If foraging isn’t part of your plan, high-quality dried wild mushrooms are widely available and work just as well. For the gravy, I like to use a local spirit. In this case, whisky brings depth and character, but bourbon or even gin would work beautifully. To round everything out and anchor the dish in our territory, a touch of maple syrup adds a gentle sweetness, something familiar that brings it all home.
In the end, it’s more than just poutine. It’s a dish that carries a memory, the scent of the forest, a shared moment. A way of bringing the land directly onto the plate.
Woodland Goose Poutine with Whiskey and Wild Mushroom Gravy
Yields: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 2 goose breast fillets
- Duck fat or olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 48 fingerling potatoes, halved
- 3 1/2 ounces mixed fresh or rehydrated wild mushrooms (chanterelle, oyster, boletus, maitake, etc.)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/4 cup whisky
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cups game, beef, or veal demi-glace sauce
- 12 ounces cheese curds (about 2 cups)
- 3 sliced green onions
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a hot skillet, heat the duck fat or olive oil and sear the goose breast fillets for about 2 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes (you want meat that is slightly pink). Transfer fillets to a plate, cover, and let rest. Reserve duck fat from skillet.
3. Spread the potatoes, garlic, rosemary, and thyme on the baking sheet and drizzle with reserved duck fat. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and golden. Remove from the oven, discard the herb sprigs, and season with salt and pepper.
4. While the potatoes are baking, make the gravy. In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of duck fat or olive oil, add the shallot, and cook until tender. Add the mushrooms and brown well. Add the whisky and maple syrup and boil to reduce the liquid by half. Add the demi-glace sauce and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
5. Slice the goose breasts thinly. In four individual serving bowls, assemble the poutine in this order: potatoes, cheese curds, goose, and gravy. Garnish with green onions.
This recipe is from the new book Hooké: Wild Adventures — Wild Cuisine, by Fred Campbell, with recipes by Jean-Philippe Leclerc. This book’s text and photographs take readers deep into Canada’s most breathtaking landscapes, from the rugged coastlines of Newfoundland to the remote tundra of Nunavik, sharing unforgettable hunting and fly-fishing adventures along the way. Each story is paired with a recipe that transforms wild fish and game into rustic yet refined dishes. To order your copy, visit robertrosebooks.com/us/books/hooke/.
About the Author
Jean-Philippe Leclerc is a renowned Québécois chef who is deeply rooted in the land that inspires his work. A hunter, angler, and forager, he shapes his cuisine around what nature provides, guided by respect, sensitivity, and a genuine desire to showcase the richness of Québec’s terroir. A specialist in open-fire cooking, Leclerc has developed an approach that is both instinctive and thoughtful, where every gesture and every ingredient tells a story, one shaped by the living world and the rhythm of the seasons. Through his writing and recipes, he shares a committed and poetic vision of food. He also leads training sessions in wild cuisine, inviting participants to reconnect with their environment. A proud ambassador for the Canadian outdoor clothier Hooké, Leclerc is driven by a constant desire to authentically highlight what nature has to offer and to remind us that behind every plate lies a place to honor.
