Lightened Up Traditional Nova Scotian Hodge Podge Recipes

Steps:

• Place the green beans, wax beans, carrots and turnips into a saucepan and add enough water to cover the vegetables. Lightly salt the water, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 1/2 hour, then add the potatoes and cook for another 1/2 hour. Stir in butter and if desired, cream.
• Mix together the flour and 1/2 cup water, and pour into the soup. Cook for a few more minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Steps:

• The key to this recipe is having all the vegetables done at the same time. If you are using all fresh new vegetables, the cooking time should take less time as they are very tender. The cooking times are estimates and depends on how large/small your pieces are.
• scrub potatoes and carrots, trim and wash beans, take peas out of the pods and rinse.
• If the potatoes are more than about an inch or so round, cut in half, do not peel.
• cut carrots into about one inch pieces, no need to peel as these are fresh and the peel is very tender.
• trim beans to about one inch pieces.
• place potatoes in a pot large enough to hold all your vegetables and bring to boil.
• cook for about 3-5 minutes and then add the carrots.
• cook another 3 minutes and add yellow beans.
• when these vegetables are pretty much cooked add fresh peas.
• cook for another 2 minutes or so, until all vegetables are tender.
• drain.
• keep vegetables in the same pot and add the butter, stir to melt.
• add salt and pepper (to taste) if using.
• measure out milk and add sugar to it. You just want to make the milk a little sweet for the sweetness the cream would traditionally have had in this recipe.
• put the pot back on the stove and add the milk and sugar to the vegetables and butter mixture.
• turn burner to medium and warm up the milk. Be careful not to heat up too quickly or it will scald. You want to have the milk come up to about 1/3 to 1/2 of the vegetable mixture. Again, this is a personal preference.
• Some people eat just the hodge podge for a meal with a roll or I like to serve with a nice piece of chicken. This gets even better the next day as the starch in the potatoes help to "thinken" the milk mixture. Enjoy your veggies -- .

Steps:

• Split the beans in half lengthwise.
• Cut carrots into long sticks.
• Shell peas and place all together into unsalted, boiling water.
• Boil fast uncovered for 8 minutes.
• Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Peel potatoes and slice into matchsticks.
• Cook covered til just tender. Drain, reserving water. Set aside.
• Break cauliflower into flowerlets. Place in a saucepan, and using potato water, boil uncovered 8-10 minutes Drain and set aside.
• Mix vegetables in a warm dish. Cover and let stand in a warm place.
• While vegetables are cooking, prepare sauce:.
• Melt diced salt pork in a cast iron frying pan over medium heat.
• When golden brown, discard enough fat so only half a cup remains.
• Add flour and stir over medium heat until it turns a light brown colour.
• Pour in cream, vegetable water and stir until creamy.
• Add chives or green onions, pepper, and salt to taste (as salt pork is often sufficient).
• Pour over the vegetables, and serve.

Steps:

• Place the green beans, wax beans, carrots and turnips into a saucepan and add enough water to cover the vegetables. Lightly salt the water, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 1/2 hour, then add the potatoes and cook for another 1/2 hour. Stir in butter and if desired, cream.
• Mix together the flour and 1/2 cup water, and pour into the soup. Cook for a few more minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble and set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the chopped onion and whole garlic clove. Cook and stir until the garlic has softened, and the onions begin to turn golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl; remove the garlic clove, mash, and return to the onions. Place the green beans, wax beans, and carrots into the saucepan. Pour in the chicken broth and enough water to just cover the vegetables; season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.
• After the beans have simmered 15 minutes, stir in the new potatoes and cook until tender, about 30 minutes more. Stir in the garlic, onions, 1/4 cup butter, and cream; return to a simmer. Dissolve the flour in 1/2 cup of water and stir into the soup. Cook and stir until the soup has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with crumbled bacon.