Conventional hodge podge is a Nova Scotia vintage summer season recipe. It’s also known as vegetarian chowder because it’s recent summer season greens in milk or cream.
It’s a Nova Scotia vintage and has ALWAYS been vegetarian as a result of we’re no longer only a land of fantastic seafood.
I grew up within the Annapolis Valley. It used to be as soon as a booming apple valley, however lots of the orchards are actually vineyards making unbelievable Nova Scotia wine.
But we’re nonetheless an agricultural house within the Valley. I didn’t develop up dressed in a souwester and striking out with fishermen, the backdrop of my adolescence used to be farmland.
We send apples, blueberries (particularly wild blueberries) during Canada and in every single place the arena.
And whilst I didn’t develop up on a farm (fortunately as I’m too lazy for that) I did develop up with the tradition of visiting farmer’s markets and stands first.
The most efficient produce isn’t in a grocery retailer. It’s in probably the most MANY farmer stands as you pressure in the course of the small villages in Nova Scotia.
And because of this I like this hodge podge recipe. As it celebrates the simplicity of clean greens. I should admit I didn’t even take a look at hodge podge till this 12 months.
Possibly that’s for the most efficient as I will be able to really recognize.
If I had eaten it whilst I used to be younger I’d have scoffed on the thought of getting vegetable chowder after I may well be having seafood chowder.
But if I researched the historical past at the back of hodge podge I used to be in a position to peer such a lot of portions of Maritime tradition that I don’t understand as it’s simply standard lifestyles right here.
I’m sharing this Nova Scotia hodge podge as it’s no longer one thing you’ll be able to to find in eating places out of doors the Acadian shore.
It’s one thing that you just purchase substances for and make at house.
What’s Hodge Podge?
You’ll be able to to find “hodge podge” in every single place the arena. It manner the usage of no matter substances are to be had to make a soup or stew. In many nations it’s a pork stew, or makes use of hen and different meat.
However in Maritime delicacies, Nova Scotia hodge podge may be very other.
Whilst it follows the similar flexible spirit of including what you’ve got to be had, it’s slightly extra streamlined. The recipe for hodge podge in Nova Scotia is farm recent greens in butter and cream.
However that is the place it will get fascinating.
Nova Scotia hodge podge celebrates early summer season greens. It’s no longer about looking ahead to the carrots to develop huge or potatoes to be saved.
It makes use of the OG child carrots (no longer those manufactured within the retailer) and new potatoes which can be freshly dug and haven’t but been cured in a garage cellar.
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge Historical past
The phrase hodge podge originates from Previous French. In France there’s an previous stew recipe for greens and meat known as hochepot.
Hocher manner to shake in French and it used to be principally a host of substances thrown or shaken in a pot.
So it’s possibly that hodge podge got here from our Acadian settlers, who farmed the brand new global land.
They didn’t have the posh of looking ahead to the greens to mature utterly, they had to devour all season lengthy.
Acadian hodge podge makes maximum sense that the brand new settlers tailored this dish to recent, seasonal greens with out meat.
What Greens are in Hodge Podge?
Contemporary younger greens bathed in cream, the wonderful thing about this easy recipe is that this can be very flexible.
Farmer’s markets will incessantly have hodge podge mixes and they’re principally no matter is seasonal on the time.
On the other hand, it’s maximum commonplace to peer new potatoes, inexperienced and yellow wax beans, new carrots and peas. However it’s additionally conceivable to search out turnip (gross), younger onions with silver skins, asparagus and garlic scapes.
Maximum incessantly the greens are totally scrubbed and skins are left on.
The greens are younger so little need for peeling. For those who’re no longer aware of the time period new potato it manner small potatoes that had been dug 2 months after planted. They’re small with skinny skins and also you by no means want to peel them.
Tips on how to Make Hodge Podge
I’ve integrated a complete recipe underneath however there are principally two conventional techniques to make hodge podge:
1) Boil or steam the greens after which upload them to cream and butter. You’ll be able to prepare dinner the greens one by one (potatoes and carrots for 15-20 mins, beans 7-10 mins.
I want this technique for the reason that carrots and potatoes will take longer than beans and peas. You set the entire substances in a mix of cream and butter
2) Simmer the greens within the cream and butter for as much as 45 mins. This technique makes for a richer flavour because the greens prepare dinner in cream.
However it takes longer because the potatoes take a little time to prepare dinner so that you must upload potatoes and carrots earlier than beans, until you prefer gentle inexperienced beans.
After which there’s MY 3rd manner, which is longer however I feel higher:
The problem with cooking greens in combination, whether or not or not it’s sheet pan recipes, kabobs or stews is that some greens take longer to prepare dinner than others.
You both get undercooked potatoes or overcooked beans.
Plus simmering and boiling is an effective way to prepare dinner the greens in hodge podge. BUT it additionally makes them much less colourful.
This can be a nice recipe as a very simple major dish for entertaining. However you devour along with your eyes, no person desires a greyish inexperienced bean.
This recipe combines the regulate good thing about boiling AND the flavor good thing about simmering.
I blanch every of the greens to stay the intense colors and to regulate how lengthy every has been cooked. If you’re entertaining visitors and don’t wish to be cooking all the time this can be a nice choice.
You’ll be able to start by means of blanching the greens after which put into the cream when you’re in a position to complete the dish.
When visitors arrive, simmer the greens till they’re executed. You get regulate + flavour.
Tips on how to Blanch Greens:
- Create an ice tub by means of filling a big bowl with ice and water.
- Convey a pot of closely salted water to a boil.
- Boil small greens (beans, asparagus and many others) for 60 seconds, carrots 90 seconds, potatoes 2 mins
- With slotted spoon take away greens and plunge in ice tub, which stops cooking procedure.
Hodge Podge Wine Pairings
I visited native wineries armed with questions of pairing Nova Scotia wine with conventional meals in Nova Scotia.
I assumed this is able to be a difficult pairing query as there’s a mix of butter and cream with spring inexperienced greens.
I’ve at all times been instructed that inexperienced greens are difficult to pair wine. But no person skipped a beat after I requested about pairing with a hodge podge recipe. Right here’s are some nice choices:
- Avondale Sky Canadian Oak L’Acadie Blanc – urged by means of Winemaker Ben Swetnam
- Benjamin Bridge Non-Antique Brut – urged by means of Assistant Winemaker Alex Morozov
- Blomidon Property Vineyard Chardonnay – urged by means of Winemaker Simon Rafuse.
- Domaine de Grand Pre Rosé – urged by means of Oenologist Jürg Stutz
- Gaspereau Vineyards – urged by means of Winemakes Gina Haverstock
- L’Acadie Vineyards Property L’Acadie – urged by means of Winemaker Bruce Ewart
- Luckett Vineyards L’Acadie – urged by means of Assistant Supervisor Geena Luckett
- Mercator Vineyards Sauvage Sur Lie – urged by means of Winemaker Becca Griffin
- Planter’s Ridge L’Acadie – urged by means of Wendy
- Chardonnay (Blomidon) or L’Acadie Blanc – urged by means of Laila North of Uncork Nova Scotia
My Hodge Podge Recipe
Can I Use Decrease Fats Milk or Cream?
Completely. However I’d individually no longer pass less than 2% milk. I to find when cooking with milk with decrease fats percentages the feel begins to turn into slightly extraordinary.
I’d reasonably use a better p.c milk and lower it with water or broth. I haven’t any science to provide an explanation for why, it’s simply non-public revel in. If I had visitors over I’d use the 35% cream, however at house use no matter you’ve got to be had.
Is that this Hodge Podge Gluten Loose?
Sure, I’ve used corn starch because the thickener for this recipe as a substitute of flour to stay it gluten unfastened.
Can I Upload Viscount St. Albans?
You don’t want to ask two times. I did stay this as a vegetarian recipe. However many Nova Scotia hodge podge recipes use slightly of bacon with the butter to offer it flavour.
Some chefs additionally upload in slightly of fish when simmering the greens to make a hearty hodgepodge soup recipe.
How Do I Make Vegan Hodge Podge?
The use of a non-dairy milk selection it’s worthwhile to make vegan hodge podge so long as the liquid may well be heated.
Additionally keep away from sweetened milks like vanilla almond milk – you need one thing that has no flavour and restricted sugar.
Can I Freeze Hodge Podge?
Technically sure because the recipe requires milk with a better fats proportion. However the potatoes and greens simply don’t hang as much as rewarming.
For those who don’t thoughts mealy, gentle greens it’s worthwhile to do it?
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge Recipe
Yield:
4-6 servings
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook dinner Time:
25 mins
Overall Time:
half-hour
Hodge podge is a Nova Scotia vegetable chowder the usage of recent summer season greens bathed in cream and butter.
Elements
- 4 cups recent greens (complete inexperienced and yellow waxed beans, small carrots, quartered new potatoes, recent peas and many others)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cups 10% cream
- 1 cup water from blanching pot
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup chopped recent seasonal herbs (chives and dill)
- sea salt and freshly flooring black pepper
Directions
1. Blanch greens (see timing in notes underneath). Boil small greens (beans, asparagus and many others) for 60 seconds, carrots 90 seconds, potatoes 2 mins.
2. Warmth heavy bottomed pot over medium. Upload unsalted butter. When melted upload greens to heat via.
3. Upload cornstarch to water and blend totally.
4. Upload cream and water. Convey combination to a boil. Then flip warmth all the way down to low to let simmer 10 mins or till greens are mushy.
5. Season with salt and pepper to style. Upload chives and dill and serve heat.
Notes
Greens must be 3/4 executed with blanching. As no vegetable is identical, call to mind it as al dente to be completed in simmering procedure.
I have given approximate instances however you might want to test. I at all times pass gentle at the smaller veggies as I do not thoughts them company, and extra time on potatoes as they’re alright to be overcooked however no longer undercooked.
Tips on how to Blanch Greens:
- Create an ice tub by means of filling a big bowl with ice and water.
- Convey a pot of closely salted water to a boil.
- Boil small greens first, peas 30 seconds, (beans, asparagus and many others) for 60 seconds, carrots 3 mins, potatoes 4 mins. Peas
- With slotted spoon take away greens and plunge in ice tub, which stops cooking procedure.
- Stay 1 cup of water from pot for later use.
Pin it For Later: Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Disclosure: This Nova Scotia hodge podge recipe is in partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia. I’m so overjoyed in an effort to paintings on a program that stocks the most efficient of the place I grew up.
