. . .
If you’re a Maritimer, you have probably stuffed your face with lots of fish chowder. Maybe some Screech. Or maybe some Chicken Bones. But at this time of year, it’s all about the hodge podge.
If you look for a hodge podge recipe on a recipe site like, say, Allrecipes, you might find some… weird information. You might read something like, “this is an old favourite vegetable stew from Nova Scotia. Is typically made in the fall as gardens are just harvested. It is important that the freshest veggies are used.” And that same recipe might tell you to cook the bejeezus out of your vegetables. Whatiddy what? I’m sure the person who posted that recipe is totally awesome, but also, a victim of The Conspiracy. Because some of the information in that recipe has clearly been planted by someone from a big city. Why are big city folk conspiring against Maritimers? Because they know, on some level, that we are way cool without even trying. And that kinda pisses them off. Also, they want our lobster.
I don’t know very many Maritimers who would call hodge podge a stew. Generally, it’s not that thick. It can be kinda soupy. Also, we harvest our gardens in the spring and summer. Just like lots of other people. And since “it is important that the freshest veggies are used,” waiting until fall seems pretty silly. Most people round here would agree that hodge podge is a summer staple. As soon as the new potatoes, carrots, peas and beans hit the farmer’s markets, we’re into hodge podge season.
I’ve seen some variations in the ingredients for hodge podge. Some recipes call for bacon or salt pork. That sounds pretty awesome, but no one I know has ever used either of those things. However, I think it’s pretty clear that a Maritimer came up with that idea. Someone from a big city would probably add quinoa and rose water. Some recipes suggest substitutions for the butter and cream. Good grief. Those things aren’t optional. Other recipes call for you to use flour to thicken the broth. Those people are probably from a big city. They might also suggest that you put turnip, cauliflower, and broccoli in there. TURNIP? Get real.
Hodge podge is a celebration of fresh vegetables. No. It’s a party. A kitchen party. Because that’s what we do here. You cook your market-fresh veggies in a big pot. Not all at once – you start with the veggies that take the longest, and then keep adding in more. Peas don’t take as long to cook as potatoes – no matter what someone from a big, fancy city tells you. Then you drain off most of the water, and dump some cream and butter in there. The starch from the potatoes will thicken the cream and butter a little, but it won’t get as thick as a stew. Some of that depends on how much butter and cream you throw into the mix. Do you see the balance, people? The healthy vegetables are slathered in something… less healthy. And when you think about how long this recipe has been a Maritime favourite? It makes sense. It’s all stuff we could find in our freakin’ yards. Just kidding. Most of us don’t grow butter in our yards.
Simple. Fresh. Delicious. No hiding behind fancy schmancy ingredients, or seasoning the crap out of it. Just a little salt and pepper to round things out. If you’re looking for a recipe that is brimming with complex flavours and seasonings, this isn’t it. Hodge podge is all about the vegetables. We like to let ’em shine.
Once you’re done scarfing down the veggies, I think most Maritimers would tell you to sop up the extra broth up with some hearty bread. I’m also betting that 2.0 would like me to mention that hodge podge is just as good – if not better – on the second day. And that it tastes mighty fine alongside a juicy steak.
You’ve been schooled.
. . .
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge – a traditional recipe, original recipe likely lost at sea – print and make for city folk
Makes enough for 4-6 people.
I’ve included some notes that I hope y’all will find helpful.
- 10-12 new potatoes – scrubbed/not peeled, and halved – quarter any large potatoes, and don’t cut the small ones – you want the potato pieces to be about the same size
- 2-3 cups chopped new carrots – scrubbed/not peeled, cut into bite sized pieces (yah, you can peel them if you like)
- 1 cup chopped yellow beans – 1 inch long pieces
- 1 cup chopped green beans – 1 inch long pieces
- 1 cup shelled pod peas – you want just the peas, not the pods
- 1 cup blend – I believe blend is called half and half in the US – you want something around the 10% fat mark (FYI – some people use a higher fat cream, and up to 1.5 cups of it)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup butter (I use 6 tablespoons)
- salt and pepper to taste
Note: the cooking times listed below are what I use. Generally, you want the veggies – especially the beans – to be tender crisp. Some people like their veggies softer, and will cook longer – thus the frequent use of the word “about.”
Fill a Dutch oven about halfway with water, and salt lightly (about 1/2 teaspoon of salt). Bring to a boil.
Add the potatoes to the boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes.
Add the carrots to the pot, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
Next add the yellow and green beans to the pot, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
Finally, add the peas, and continue cooking for about 3 minutes.
Drain off most of the water – leave about an inch of water (no more) in the bottom of the pot with the vegetables. Return the pot to the stove, and reduce burner heat to low. Add the blend and butter, and some salt and pepper (I start with a 1/4 teaspoon of each). Gently stir to combine, allowing the the blend and butter to heat through. As you’re stirring, the potatoes might break up a bit. Not to worry. As the the blend and butter heat through, the broth may begin to thicken. This is normal. Don’t allow the mixture to boil.
Once the mixture has heated through, it is ready to serve. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread to sop up the extra broth.
Store any unused portions in the refrigerator, and re-heat before serving.
movita beaucoup 
From one Maritimer to another, ‘Thank you’!! This reminds me so much of my childhood. I am going to stop at the local market on the way home from work and have some for supper tonight!
Yippie!! I hope you manage to find all of the ingredients – some markets don’t have everything in yet. But we’ve had some for the past two weekends, so it CAN BE DONE!
Just back from Kempt Shore maritime Acoustic festival – where a vendor was selling hodge podge. Today spend some time copying and pasting recipes for hodge podge, and was surprised about the turnip, corn, flour, and order of cooking the vegetables. Until I found your recipe. Sounds very authentic and will be off to the supermarket for the makings. Thanks Ontario Sue
Thanks, Ontario Sue! I hope you’ve gobbled up a big batch of hodge podge!
Now, ahem, wait a tic here. Errmmmm, movita? You live in a city. Yes, I know it’s technically a…. former city…. whatever the hell that means. But although you may be some fancypants Regional Municipality, or some such nonsense… you can’t hide behind your strange geographically-based buzzwords.
And that’s what I have to say. But only because I’m really just jealous that you get to have the amenities of CITY life. I’ve been there, I know this.
Now to dream up a garden that will grow butter.
But Emmmmmmmma! It’s a small city. By the ocean. And small city folk are different from big city folk. That’s a scientific fact. And Maritime cities are WAY different than other cities. That’s more science for you.
Now, when you figure out how to get that butter sprouting, let me know.
It’s way bigger than anything in Maine, which, I will scientifically admit, is near-Maritime. Not that it’s any comparison or consolation, I’m just saying…
It all has to do with successful germination rates. That’s science, too. I’ll let you know once I’ve run some annual trials.
You know, I grew up in the Annapolis Valley. With a lot of farmers. You’d think I’d know more about germination rates. But I guess that’s why I’ve got you…
I am from the opposite sides of the continent from you–big city San Diego, and I’ve never heard of Hodge Podge before in my life! Thank goodness I have been schooled, b/c this looks deliciousssssss!
I ate about 4 pounds of it yesterday – left over from the weekend. It. Was. So. Good. And it thickens up a little in the fridge, and just keeps getting better and better. Man. I’ve gotta make some more…
This looks delicious, Movita! Those beans are absolutely gorgeous!
Why, thank you! I actually don’t like beans. As in: I hate them. But I DO like them in hodge podge. It’s a Maritime Miracle.
Dear Movita,
I have a cookbook you should borrow titled: Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens (A collection of traditional recipes of Nova Scotia and the story of the people who cooked them). If you’ve never seen said cookbook, you must read!!!! Recipes such as: Colcannon, Molasses Pie, Fried Eels, Vinegar Pie, Rappie Pie, Turtles in Shells (yes, real turtles. “If you have tiny turtles and wish to serve them in an interesting way, save the top shells”)
Despite the turtle recipe – it’s a wonderful book!
How is it that I haven’t seen this book? I looked it up on amazon – it’s still in print! I think I need to order it. (Though I probably won’t be making the turtles.)
It’s printed local, and I have seen it in Chapters…It’s a LOVELY cook book
Sounds like a delicious party of veggies, which is something I can get super happy about any time of the year. Plus Allrecipes really scares me, a can of mushroom soup or a package of vanilla pudding is not an ingredient people. I’ll stick with the carrots and butter, you know where you are with them.
You’re a farmer. You could be the queen of hodge podge! Stephen might not mind the beans in here – because they don’t bother me. In fact, they are downright tasty in hodge podge. Because normally? I think beans should be stomped upon.
Well how embarrassed am I?? I honestly never knew that Hodge Podge was something that you eat!! Although it makes sense I guess, because I’ve always known it as a “bunch of stuff” all mixed together…but not necessarily food related. So I guess that’s where it comes from?
I also know it as some fancy shmancy glue used for making decoupage!
The things you learn! Thanks Movita!
You are exactly right – that’s how hodge podge earned it’s name – it’s a bunch of stuff all thrown into a pot. I’m assuming that back in the day, when money in a lot of households was scarce, this recipe would be fairly economical to prepare. (Today’s economy ain’t much different.) Nova Scotia has a lot of fishing and a lot of farming – so traditionally, local ingredients were easy to find. Of course, nowadays, butter costs more than bloody lobster!
Now, the fancy schmancy glue? That’s MOD Podge. But I think I’ll call it Hodge Podge from now on…
I think I may live under a rock, or it hasn’t made it’s way to Ontario. Either was it looks yummy!
As far as I know, hodge podge is a Maritime thing. Though I’m pretty sure it has some origins in France and England. Clearly, you’ll have to take Ontario by storm. With all of the amazing farms out there, you should have no trouble at all!
That does look good and I think it might be also asking to have a ham hock or thick slab of bacon cooked with it 🙂
The other day 2.0 told me that when his family had leftover hodge podge, they would cut up some steak (usually leftover from a BBQ) and stir it into the hodge podge. I think he drooled a little…
I don’t even like vegetables….but what did I buy today? Vegetables. Because of you! I think you might have some sort of subliminal, psychic,esp, vegetable vibe…or something like that…going on.
Now if I could just sit back and get you to cook it for me!!
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! That is way awesome! I hope your body doesn’t reject them…
Beautiful dish Movita! Love the photos too!
Thanks, Sheryl!
This sounds delicious! I’m ashamed to say I’d never heard of hodge podge before – how could I call myself a Canadian?! Well, I can now! I may be all citified now that I’ve left the farm, but I still felt pretty smug when you pointed out the pea pods do not go into the pot. I knew that! Now I’m feeling better …
That’s how I take care of big city folk. I tell them they don’t have to eat pea pods. I hope they appreciate me.
Great photos!
I’ve never heard of hodge podge before but it sound delish! Thanks for educating me 🙂 I will definitely be making this soon.
I hope your American body doesn’t reject my Maritime recipe. I mean, don’t you live in New York? Your über cool body probably isn’t familiar with peasant recipes such as this… (tee hee!)
Hooray for the Maritimers! We love our hodge podge with my mom’s beer bread (only Canadian beers allowed, of course): http://alidoesit.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/nova-scotia-hodgepodge-with-beer-bread/
Thanks for the extra shout-outs to Nova Scotia!
That bread looks awesome!
But your hodge podge recipe is definitely not the Maritime recipe. We never put turnip into it and no thickening. sheesh
Okay, don’t listen to the big city folk. Gotcha! I’m on team Maritimers. I like butter, and I like cream. Seriously, who gets rid of the fatty deliciousness? Not me. This hodge podge looks creamy and delicious. All it needs is a big hunk of crusty bread. None of that whole wheat, seven grain stuff, either.
Nope. Don’t be using what my brother calls “bird seed bread.” A nice hunk of crusty bread will do yah just fine. And that way you can sop up the fatty deliciousness!
AMEN. The perfect, accurate hodge podge post. (Those not from the Maritimes would probably call it a vegetable chowder. Weirdos!) 🙂
Agreed!
*sigh*
i’ve decided i need to become some sort of honorary Maritimer. i like too many things that go on up there. and i love boats and shippy things. also docks. and baby lambs and seafood. and especially this hodge podge, which i have never heard of and have to make this instant.
so…who can i see about that. i didn’t know who made those types of decisions.
Oh, and those things are just the tip of the iceberg! We’ve got ocean, farms, city and all things in between. We party in kitchens – well, not all of us – just the cool Maritimers. We’re really festive. We’re warm and friendly – which freaks some city folk out. And we’re way funny. Trust me. People From Away don’t want to leave. You’ve got to get your butt over here. I’ll see if I can get some strings pulled…
Love this whole post today.. your humor, the name of your recipes.. the fresh from your garden ingredients and your beautiful photography!! Win . win. win. win.!! xo from out west where we don’t have a Hodge Podge
Sending some x’s and o’s back at cha from the East Coast!
Hodge Podge is new to me Movita so I’m all over your version like butter on toast! And “letting the vegetables shine” – naturally! and do we really need a recipe for overcooked veggies? No we do not. We need to make Hodge Podge just like Movita does and eat it tomorrow just like 2.0.
We’ve had an awful lot of hodge podge here recently! So good, and completely addictive – you’ve been warned. On Friday, we had hodge podge with a side of bbq’d steak, and then on Saturday, we chopped up the leftover steak, and put it in the Day Two Hodge Podge. It was deeeeeelightful!
I’m seriously digging on this piece of Canadiana! I’ve made Nova Scotia blueberry cream cake before, but never hodge podge! I have a feeling this will make it to the dinner table (read: desk in front of a computer) sometime this summer, because, seriously — if you don’t get the best veggies in Canada during the summer, say hello to “local” canned goods and potatoes until June… our weather — sheesh!
What about blueberry grunt? Have you made that? I bet you’d like it! (It goes very well with hodge podge…)
Movita,
I have had the best time reading your tutorials (or whatever they should be called) from ‘Sand the B*tch to “print and make for city folk’ You have the best sense of humor and some great how to’s and recipes. Cant wait to try the African Chicken!
I Googled “How to distress furniture using wax” as I have a few pieces of it out in my garage that I am experimenting with. Anyway, I came to your tutorial so thanks!
Thanks, Katy! I’m happy to have you here! And I hope you’ll let me know how your furniture turns out…
In the first half of 20th century Nova Scotia all of the ingredients for hodge podge could be found on the family homestead in rural areas. Most people kept a cow and had their own cream and butter to go with all the fresh vegies they grew in their gardens. Now if you will excuse me I have to go to the garden before it rains and get the fixings for my own hodge podge.
I knew it. I knew I needed a cow.
I know what you mean about people having different versions/misconceptions of this amazing recipe!! I was shocked & somewhat disappointed to buy a “Celebrity Cook Book” and find a “Hodge Podge” recipe from Ann Murray – after reading her version I wondered if she really is from Nova Scotia. HaHaHa –Just sayin’ !
I bet Anne got all high falutin’ once she hit it big, and then changed her hodge podge recipe!
I am a transplanted Maritimer now living in Indiana. Coincidentally I was just telling my neighbor how we fixed vegetables as soon as we could in the early summer. It brought back such wonderful memories of scarfing down copious amounts of my Grammie Bent’s delicious Hodge Podge some 40+ years ago. Thanks so much for sharing this…your version of this recipe is exactly how my Grammie fixed it! From another former “Valley girl!”
So nice to hear from you, Cindy! I was just thinking about making some hodge podge, as the veggies will be hitting the markets here in Nova Scotia. Hope you’ll be making some in Indiana – and spreading the Maritime way down south!
Your recipe is very similar to my Nanny’s Hodge Podge (except hers was less precisely measured 🙂 and has been a summer staple at my place. I’m not much of a cook, but summer just isn’t summer without u-Pick strawberries made into jam and hodge podge. And after making my jam last week with a combination of local berries bought at the Seaport Farmers Market and local berries bought at Sobeys, I’m not only convinced local is better, I’m now convinced straight-from-the-farmer is better.
now for a tip for all the city dwellers out there…I found seeds this year that grow carrots and beans IN A POT on your deck! So you can even grow your own on your deck, if you don’t have a yard.
I hear ya! The Maritimes rock!
I’m very curious about these potted veggies – seems way easier than tilling a field…
I have been eating Hodge Podge all my life…it is only eaten in July / August when you have access to the veggies out of your garden……..it is a South Shore tradition….having my mothers family from Cape Breton, my dads extended family in Halifax, and the Valley …….they never heard of it until moving to Lunenburg County…… the recipe you have here is not exactly how it was made by those of us Bridgewater area……..NO SALT in the water it ruins the flavor……….if you use new baby veggies…. potatoes, carrots, bean green and yellow and peas…all get cooked together, no chopping required just freshly washed if you use only new baby veggies they are the correct size already.( and sweetest ) should only boil for 8-10 minutes . Fully drain….put back in same pot, on medium low heat the add one stick of real butter about 1-1 1/2 cups let butter melt by stirring gently then a full can of milk (its creamy and thick on its own) gently stirring until all is coated…once milk has heated about 1-2 mins then its ready to eat. grab some fresh homemade bread and enjoy.
Ahhh, so here I go…. a girl from New England, originally from Cape Cod, living in New Hampshire… and a lover of all things Maritime and Nova Scotia. You can be sure I checked the recipe closely, got my vegies from our local farmer’s market and ready to make it today. I’ve been known to alter “some” recipes to suit my needs or tastebuds but I know better than to change up a great recipe with such “honorable” roots, lolll. I believe in those great old recipes that have reason and purpose rooted in the lives of people throughout the seasons. It just feels and tastes so right to do it the way they have done it over the years. TY movita for posting this. Next to my discovery of Colcannon a few months back, this Hodge Podge recipe I’m really looking forward to trying out.
BTW, my love of Nova Scotia and the Maritimes comes from not only that I was born and grew up on Cape Cod but also, I’ve visited Nova Scotia and PEI and immediately fell in love… with your lovely land…. hopefully to visit again. I love my best friends from Nova Scotia. You all are such wonderful folks. ❤
Hi,
I remember eating Hodge Podge as a kid in Canning (Valley). I haven’t had it since moving away in ’86. I am back to the valley regularly nowadays, seeing a woman again I knew as a kid. “Happy Days are here again”. My mother made it but we didn’t, as I remember, use cream. I think it was whole milk, yes I know whole milk! Today we got the stuff but couldn’t find any yellow beans! I am making it following your instructions, not the quantities but the sequence. We decided to get some ham to have with it but I don’t remember having any meat with it as I kid. A great read btw, too bad you turned out be a city dweller. I am from Canning, Windsor is a city to me.
Thanks movita
Brad, I grew up in KINGSTON. Smallest place on earth. So, though I’ve lived in both Toronto and Halifax, I’m a Valley Girl at heart! I remember driving to New Minas and thinking it was very metropolitan. And Kentville? I thought that place was so ritzy! (And just so you know, I often have whole milk in my fridge for baking. Long live whole milk!)
Hope you enjoyed your hodge podge – it’s great any way you make it!!
I too am a Kingston girl but sadly, my mother never made hodge podge! I see the signs at the local farmer markets advertising for the veggies every summer but never seem to get around to it. Today seems like the perfect day to make it! Thanks for the recipe – I’ll be following it nice and close 🙂
I just read ‘that’ recipe for hodge podge and wondered about cooking green/yellow beans for 1/2 hour then adding something else and cooking for another 1/2 hour. To get bean goo, perhaps?
Yikes. Going with your recipe and thank you.
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