Author Interview: Chuck Hughes + recipe for Lobster Poutine

Lobster Poutine - Chuck Hughes. Photography by Dominique Lafond. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. by arrangement with Les Éditions La Presse Ltée

Prep: 15 min -- Cook: 30 min -- Serves: 4

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lobsters for 2 minutes. Cool in ice water. Remove meat from the shell and set the lobster meat aside.

(If you do this ahead of time, chill the lobster meat and use the shells for making the lobster stock.)

2. For the gravy, reduce the lobster stock by half until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Whisk in the butter a spoonful at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lobster meat and gently reheat it while you make the frites.

3. For the frites, heat the oil in a deep-fryer or large, deep pot to 300°F (150°C).

4. Dunk the potatoes in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes to blanch them. Drain and let sit for a few minutes. Heat the same oil to 350°F (180°C). Cook the frites 2 to 3 minutes more, until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

5. Top the frites with the cheese curds and lobster gravy. Garnish with chives.

When we opened the restaurant we had a weekly lobster dish, such as lobster pot pie, lobster risotto, or General Tao lobster.

But back in the kitchen the boys always used to make themselves fries with lobster gravy and cheese curds. Voilà -- a classic was born.