Showing posts with label Nova Scotia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nova Scotia. Show all posts
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge is a beloved Maritime classic made with the season’s freshest young vegetables, gently cooked and tossed in a rich, silky sauce of cream, salt pork, and a splash of vegetable cooking liquor.
It’s colourful, comforting, and deeply rooted in Nova Scotia heritage — the kind of dish families have enjoyed for generations, especially at the height of summer when the garden is overflowing with tender beans, new potatoes, peas, carrots, and more.
Simple, rustic, and incredibly satisfying, Hodge Podge is the perfect way to celebrate the first harvest and bring a taste of home to your table.
Oh, I do so love this time of year when the garden is filled to bursting with fresh young vegetables in their prime, just waiting for us to pick them and eat them. It's quite simply one of my favorite times of the year!
Here in Nova Scotia there is a traditional dish that is very popular this time of year. It is designed to use those early baby vegetables and the vegetables saved from thinning out the garden, so nothing goes to waste. It very well may have it's origins in old English Cookery, but I haven't been able to find a connection just yet.
It is called Hodge Podge (Hotch Potch) and it is nothing more than a dinner of small new tender vegetables, briefly cooked and then tossed together in a tasty sauce of salt pork (bacon lardons), cream and some of the cooking liquor from the vegetables. Most of the farm stands and farm markets will have baskets ready and available at this time of year loaded with all the vegetables you will need to make your own Hodge Podge.
It is something our mother always loved. This is quite simply wonderful. Mom always waxed poetic about it. Her grandparents had a large farm and she spent a lot of time there. Her childhood was filled with plenty of fresh garden vegetables, eggs, meat, etc.
Serve this simple yet tasty dish in shallow heated bowls, so that you can get all of that beautiful creamy sauce. Lots of buttered crusty bread is also a good go with so that you can sop up all of those rich juices.
Altogether it is a delightfully delicious meal that is a bit of a tradition in my home and I hope will become one in yours!
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED
TO MAKE
NOVA SCOTIA HODGE PODGE
Fresh and tender new vegetables, rich cream. This is a seasonal treat that everyone always enjoys.
- 10 to 12 whole new baby potatoes, scrubbed well, unpeeled and halved
- 2 cups of baby carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
- a large handful of fresh garden green beans
- a large handful of yellow wax beans
- 1 cup shelled peas
- 1 small head of cauliflower, broken into florets
- a handful of young asparagus (optional)
- 1 bunch of spring onions (try to get larger sized ones. Cut off and save the tops for another purpose. Use the bulb end (trimmed) and about 2 inches up the light green parts. Cut in half lengthwise)
- (any other fresh vegetables as you have available and in quantities to suit)
- 1 cup diced salt pork (I used 140g of unsmoked bacon lardons as salt pork is not available over here)
- 1 cup of heavy cream or half and half (240ml) (Double or single cream)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper fresh thyme (optional)
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS
Young Bush Beans
Fresh green or yellow beans (or even sliced runner beans) are ideal. Their tender snap and mild sweetness are exactly what makes Hodge Podge taste like summer.
Carrots
Choose small, young carrots — they cook quickly and stay sweet. If they’re thicker, slice them lengthwise; if tiny, leave them whole for a charming rustic look.
New Baby Potatoes
These are essential. New potatoes hold their shape, have a creamy interior, and absorb the sauce beautifully. They’re the backbone of the dish.
Freshly Podded Peas
English peas add a burst of sweetness. They cook in a flash — often just a quick blanch is enough if you like them fresh and bright. You can also use frozen peas.
Cauliflower Florets
Use small, tender florets so they cook evenly. Their mild flavour pairs beautifully with the cream sauce.
Asparagus
A handful of young asparagus adds colour and a delicate grassy note. Cook it separately so it stays crisp‑tender.
Spring Onions (Scallions)
Choose larger spring onions if you can. You’ll use the bulb and the pale green part (about two inches up), sliced lengthwise. They melt into the sauce and add gentle sweetness.
Salt Pork or Bacon Lardons
Salt pork is traditional, but bacon lardons are a perfect substitute when salt pork isn’t available. They bring savoury depth and those irresistible golden crispy bits.
Heavy Cream
The cream is what transforms simple vegetables into a luxurious, silky dish. It reduces with the cooking liquor to create the signature sauce. Many people use half and half (single cream) instead of heavy cream.
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Season simply but generously. These two bring out the natural sweetness of the vegetables and balance the richness of the cream.
Fresh Thyme (Optional)
A pinch of thyme adds a subtle herbal note that complements the cream and vegetables without overpowering them.
Other Fresh Vegetables
Hodge Podge is wonderfully flexible — “anything goes” as long as the vegetables are fresh and tender. Just avoid beetroot unless you want the whole dish to turn pink!
HOW TO MAKE
NOVA SCOTIA HODGE PODGE
Its really not rocket science. Just be sure not to overcook any of your vegetables and you will be in for a real treat!
- Prepare the new vegetables as required. The beans, carrots and potatoes can all be cooked together in boiling lightly salted water to cover, just until tender. (You can cut the beans and carrots into smaller pieces if they are overly long.)
- I add the potatoes first, cook for about 8 minutes, then add the carrots and beans and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes longer, until crispy tender. (Don't over cook. You want all but the potatoes to be crispy tender. It may take you slightly longer to cook your potatoes depending on the size of them.)
- Cook the peas, cauliflower and asparagus separately, just until crispy tender. The peas you may just want to blanch. It depends on how well done you want them. We like them fairly fresh. (I more often than not will use frozen peas as I can't always get fresh garden peas.)
- Drain all your vegetables well, reserving some of the cooking liquor. Toss them together in a bowl and keep warm. (Serving the cooking liquid is essential. This will form a part of the "sauce.")
- Fry the salt pork (lardons) to a golden brown. Add the spring onions, and cook until slightly wilted. (Fried salt pork is often referred to as scrunchions.)
- Stir in the cream and an equal amount of cooking liquor. Bring to the boil and then allow to reduce somewhat. (You want a mixture that will cling to the vegetables and coat then nicely.)
- Add the cooked vegetables and give them a good stir to coat. Heat for several minutes. Season to taste with some salt and pepper and a bit of thyme if desired. Serve immediately. (You can also add a knob of butter if you are not bothered about the calories!)
🌿HANDY HELPS AND TIPS
FOR PERFECT NOVA SCOTIA HODGE PODGE🌿
Use young, fresh vegetables for the best flavour and texture.
The dish is meant to celebrate new tender vegetables at their peak, which cook quickly and stay sweet and delicate.
Cook sturdy vegetables together, delicate ones separately.
Beans, carrots, and potatoes can share a pot, but peas, cauliflower, and asparagus need their own quick cook so they stay crisp‑tender.
Add vegetables in stages for perfect doneness.
Potatoes need a head start, then carrots and beans follow. This keeps everything evenly cooked without turning mushy.
Reserve some cooking liquor — it’s liquid gold.
A splash of this vegetable broth added to the cream creates the signature silky sauce. Don’t forget to save it before draining.
Brown the salt pork (or lardons) well.
Golden, crispy bits add depth and savoury richness to the sauce. Don’t rush this step.
Let the cream reduce slightly.
A gentle simmer thickens the sauce just enough to cling beautifully to the vegetables.
Season simply but generously.
Freshly ground pepper and a touch of sea salt bring everything together. A pinch of thyme is optional but lovely.
Avoid beetroot unless you want pink Hodge Podge.
Beetroot will tint the whole dish an unappealing colour — best left out.
Serve in warm shallow bowls.
This helps keep the creamy sauce hot and lets you enjoy every last spoonful.
Don’t forget the buttered crusty bread.
Essential for sopping up the rich, creamy juices — a true part of the tradition.
Let the dish be flexible — “anything goes.”
Hodge Podge is meant to be adaptable. Use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT EXACTLY IS NOVA SCOTIA HODGE PODGE?
It’s a traditional summertime dish made from fresh young vegetables, briefly cooked until tender and then tossed in a creamy salt‑pork (or bacon lardon) sauce. It’s colourful, simple, and deeply rooted in Nova Scotia heritage. It was often made from the young vegetables pulled when people were thinning out their garden crops for optimum growth. Nothing was wasted.
WHAT VEGETABLES WORK BEST IN HODGE PODGE?
Any new, tender garden vegetables are perfect. Common choices include beans, carrots, baby potatoes, peas, cauliflower, asparagus, and spring onions. You can mix and match depending on what’s fresh and available.
CAN I USE BEETROOT?
It is best to avoid beetroot as they will tint the whole dish a very unappealing color. I do have a delicious recipe here where you can utilize the beet greens and baby beets.
DO I HAVE TO COOK THE VEGETABLES SEPARATELY?
Not all! Beans, carrots, and potatoes can be cooked together. More delicate vegetables like peas, cauliflower, and asparagus should be cooked separately so they stay crisp‑tender.
WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND SALT PORK?
Bacon lardons are a great substitute. They fry up beautifully and give the sauce the same savoury richness. I have even seen some people use small bits or scraps of lamb.
HOW CREAMY SHOULD THE SAUCE BE?
The sauce is made by simmering cream and a splash of vegetable cooking liquor with the browned salt pork and spring onions. Reduce it slightly until it’s silky and coats the vegetables well.
A FEW MORE TRADITIONAL NOVA SCOTIA RECIPES TO ENJOY
A few tasty things that this beautiful province is known for.
NOVA SCOTIA FISH CHOWDER - A bowl of true Maritime comfort, this traditional Nova Scotia Fish Chowder celebrates simple ingredients and fresh haddock in the most delicious way. Tender potatoes, sweet onion, crisp salt pork, and warm milk come together to create a chowder that’s over a century old and still beloved today. It’s humble, hearty, and deeply nostalgic—exactly the kind of coastal home cooking that has stood the test of time. Perfect for grey days, homesick moments, or anytime you crave a taste of Nova Scotia’s shores.
NOVA SCOTIA OAT CAKES - A crisp, buttery taste of home, these Nova Scotia Oat Cakes are simple, sweet, and wonderfully moreish. Made from humble pantry staples and baked until golden, they strike that perfect balance between cookie and biscuit — sturdy enough for dunking, yet tender enough to enjoy on their own. Whether paired with a hot cuppa, a slice of good cheddar, or a smear of jam, they’re a true Cape Breton classic that brings comfort in every bite.
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Yield: 4 to 6
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min
This is a Nova Scotia traditional dish made with early summer vegetables and the thinnings of garden produce.
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 whole new baby potatoes, scrubbed well, unpeeled and halved
- 2 cups of baby carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
- a large handful of fresh garden green beans
- a large handful of yellow wax beans
- 1 cup shelled peas
- 1 small head of cauliflower, broken into florets
- a handful of young asparagus (optional)
- 1 bunch of spring onions (try to get larger sized ones. Cut off and save the tops for another purpose. Use the bulb end (trimmed) and about 2 inches up the light green parts. Cut in half lengthwise)
- (any other fresh vegetables as you have available and in quantities to suit)
- 1 cup diced salt pork (I used 140g of unsmoked bacon lardons as salt pork is not available over here)
- 1 cup of heavy cream or half and half (240ml) (Double or single cream)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper fresh thyme (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the new vegetables as required. The beans, carrots and potatoes can all be cooked together in boiling lightly salted water to cover, just until tender.
- I add the potatoes first, cook for about 8 minutes, then add the carrots and beans and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes longer, until crispy tender.
- Cook the peas, cauliflower and asparagus separately, just until crispy tender. The peas you may just want to blanch. It depends on how well done you want them. We like them fairly fresh.
- Drain all your vegetables well, reserving some of the cooking liquor. Toss them together in a bowl and keep warm.
- Fry the salt pork (lardons) to a golden brown. Add the spring onions, and cook until slightly wilted.
- Stir in the cream and an equal amount of cooking liquor. Bring to the boil and then allow to reduce somewhat.
- Add the cooked vegetables and give them a good stir to coat. Heat for several minutes. Season to taste with some salt and pepper and a bit of thyme if desired. Serve immediately.
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One thing which I really learned to love when I was in the UK was lamb. It was not something which I had ever really eaten very much of prior to going over there to live.
At our wedding supper I had roasted saddle of lamb and it was delicious. I fell in love. It was so tasty! My mother had only ever cooked lamb chops once for us when we were children. I think it was mutton actually as it smelled like she was burning mittens when she was cooking them.
None of us would touch them.
Mom had always spoken fondly of a lamb stew she had enjoyed whilst in the hospital giving birth to my brother. She had thought it delicious and I suppose she was wanting to explore a taste memory she had. All that did was to create a bad taste memory for us, lol. Or bad smell memory in any case.
I am so happy that I had the opportunity to live in the UK and taste really good lamb.
My sister and I were in the Super Store on Saturday and she said to me, did you see the lamb? No, I hadn't so I went back to take a look. Nova Scotia lamb! I was excited. Not previously frozen lamb from New Zealand.
This was a rare find. I could not resist buying myself a small package of lamb chops. They were not cheap. I paid $55.09 a kg for them, which meant that my small package of two small chops cost me $11.04.
But I could not resist the opportunity to taste Nova Scotia Northumberland Lamb. No matter how pricey it was.
I decided to cook it very simply. I was looking for recipes, but I did not want the flavor of the lamb to get lost in everything else. I decided to simply dust it with some salt, pepper and thyme and then pan fry it in some butter and a bit of oil, with some lemon zest and simply glazing it with a mix of fresh lemon juice and honey.
I also pan fried some potatoes to go with it and I oven roasted the rest of that tender stem cauliflower from the other day.
Lamb has such a lovely delicate flavor. I didn't want to hide or mask it with strong flavors. It was a good call on my part. The lamb was tender and juicy, perfectly cooked and the lemon, honey and thyme highlighted its delicate flavor perfectly!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LAMB CHOPS WITH HONEY, LEMON & THYME
Very simple ingredients really. You don't need to do the potatoes with the lamb if you don't want to, but I do think they made for a very delicious side. Although I only cooked two chops, I have given ingredient amounts for four.
- 4 bone in rib lamb chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- the zest of 1/2 lemon, cut into long shreds (julienne)
- the juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 TBS runny honey (I used Greek)
For the potatoes:
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- sea salt, black pepper and paprika to taste
I used a potato peeler to thinly pare the lemon zest from the lemon. Take care not to get any of the white pith from underneath as this is quite bitter. Just pare it off in thin strips and then use a sharp knife to julienne it.
I used a Greek honey, but any liquid honey will do. Try to pick one with a nice flavor. Something flowery. Chestnut honey would be really nice if you can get it.
I used dry thyme because I had no fresh. If you have fresh thyme, use just the leaves and roughly twice the amount.
HOW TO MAKE LAMB CHOPS WITH HONEY, LEMON & THYME
This goes together very simply and quickly. The times I have suggested will yield perfectly cooked medium/rare lamb chops which are still nice and pink in the center.
Take your lamb chops and rub them all over on both sides with the thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside while you start the potatoes.
Melt the butter in a skillet along with the oil. Once the butter starts to foam add the potato slices. Sprinkle all over with the pepper, salt and paprika. Cook slowly over medium heat until just beginning to turn on the bottom, flip over and season the other side with pepper, salt and paprika.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium low for about 10 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms and cooked through.
Increase the heat to medium high.
Push the potatoes over to one side. Add the lamb chops and sear on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, flip over. Add the lemon zest strips to the pan. Sear the chops on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes.
Squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle over the honey. Turn the chops over to coat them in both the honey and the lemon.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave to rest for a few minutes.
Divide the lamb and potatoes between two heated plates, spooning some of the juices from the pan over the lamb. Serve immediately.
The potatoes were lovely and crispy and also perfectly cooked. My tender stem cauliflower (contrary to how it looks) was also beautifully cooked. I had it in the oven at 425*F/220*C tossed with a bit of oil and seasoning for the whole time I was cooking the meat and potatoes. It was crispy tender.
I really enjoyed this meal. Although the meat was quite pricey it was a real treat. I would buy it again. Definitely.
It has been a real pleasure to be able to highlight a Nova Scotia product here on the blog. I hope to do more posts doing so in the future.
If, like me, you are also fond of lamb, might I also suggest these other recipes to cook:
SLOW ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER - If you are lucky enough to be able to get your hands on a shoulder of lamb, this is the perfect way to cook it. The meat ends up succulent and tender. This is fabulously delicious.
LAMB & DAMSON STEW - Lamb has a delicate almost sweet flavor that goes very well with fruit. You could also use apricots in this stew rather than plums if you cannot get the plums. It is incredibly tasty, especially with dumplings on top!
Yield: 2
Lamb Chops with Honey, Lemon & Thyme
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 25 Min
I was lucky enough to find some beautiful looking Nova Scotia Lamb and could not resist buying them. I wanted to cook them as simply as possible and this was the delicious result.
Ingredients
- 4 bone in rib lamb chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- the zest of 1/2 lemon, cut into long shreds
- the juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 TBS runny honey (I used Greek)
For the potatoes:
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- sea salt, black pepper and paprika to taste
Instructions
- Take your lamb chops and rub them all over on both sides with the thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside while you start the potatoes.
- Melt the butter in a skillet along with the oil. Once the butter starts to foam add the potato slices. Sprinkle all over with the pepper, salt and paprika. Cook slowly over medium heat until just beginning to turn on the bottom, flip over and season the other side with pepper, salt and paprika.
- Cover with a lid and cook on medium low for about 10 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms and cooked through.
- Increase the heat to medium high.
- Push the potatoes over to one side. Add the lamb chops and sear on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, flip over. Add the lemon zest strips to the pan. Sear the chops on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle over the honey. Turn the chops over to coat them in both the honey and the lemon.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave to rest for a few minutes.
- Divide the lamb and potatoes between two heated plates, spooning some of the juices from the pan over the lamb.
- Serve immediately.
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