I give a 4 star but with some modifications. In my area of Nova Scotia the key ingredients are new potatoes fresh green and yellow beans and new/baby carrots. It is called hodge podge because you can put an assortment of veggies in it. I always add brocolli and cauliflour sometimes zucchini or any other fresh veggie that strikes your fancy. For added flavour I cook the veggies in chicken or turkey stock with added water if necessary. Barely cover the veggies with the stock/water and start with the veggies that take the longest to cook first and adding the quick cookers like the beans last which essentially steam on top of the broth. The vegetables should be tender crisp and I would think the times in the receipe would overcook the veggies. Real cream and butter makes the meal decadent but skimmed evaporated milk can be used too if trying to cut back on fat & calories (and costs). There is no need to thicken with flour. The consistency is like a thin chowder as opposed to a thickened sauce or soup. Some people like to add corned beef or cooked ham from a boiled dinner to it to make it an even heartier meal. Whatever version you try enjoy!!
A friend of mine who moved to BC from Nova Scotia taught me how to make hodgepodge but with the very earliest spring veggies but NOT turnips. Too strong. No flour or water..only cream and butter. She says I make it as well as a Nova Scotian does......it is awesome.
YUM!!! My entire family loves this stuff. I'm from Nova Scotia and this is the big dish of the harvest ~ we use new potatoes, green beans, and yellow beans. Sometimes carrot, but, as a rule, usually the potaotes and beans. Thanks for posting this Vivian!
This passes for a nice stew. Real hodge podge is not made in the fall but summer when the vegetables are fresh from the garden. There is no use of flour or turnip in hodge podge fresh peas from the pods are a must and cream is not optional.
As a Nova Scotian now living in BC my HodgePodge cravings start when the first beans (green or yellow) garden peas and new potatoes arrive at the Farmers' Market. I must agree with others who didn't use the turnip as I find it imparts a bitter almost musty flavour that becomes more pronounced as it sits. And for me the best HodgePodge is eaten a day or 2 after it was first made...so no turnip in my version. The cream does give it the mouthfeel that I remember from my days in NS but now a healthier version can be made with a light roux (flour & Marg or butter) and then 2% or 1% milk. For me the key is lots of sweet young green peas and new potatoes. I saute 1/2 cup sweet or green onions with some coarsely chopped celery until the onions are tender and the celery still has some crunch. Then the potatoes go into the pot with as little water/cooking liquid as possible. Once that liquid has come to a boil then the carrot and peas are added and left to cook for 5 minutes. Then the rest of the veggies and the sauted onions & celery. Total cooking time for the veggies DOES NOT EXCEED 20 MINUTES. The roux is next stirred in thoroughly with as much milk as you like to bring it to a chunky stew consistency. Salt and pepper to taste and you are ready to enjoy with a toasted chunk of cheese bread.
I am from Nova Scotia and I look forward to this summer meal all winter. My family doesn't use turnip or flour (I guess thats just our taste) and the heavy cream definatly isn't optional for us. Only use fresh veggies thats the best part:) Thanks for sharing the Nova Scotian heritage recipe hehe.
here is my version of hodge podge. the main (and best) ingredient in mine is new peas. then add little new potatoes carrots and new string beans.
Wonderful recipe! My parents are from N.S. and I have had Hodge Podge before but not like this!! The cream and the flour made a huge difference!! I skipped the turnip and added onions for extra flavour. Thanks for this one!
I love hodge podge being from nova scotia this is a summer treat along with blueberry grunt... cream as stated prior is must not an option thanks!!!!!
