Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
I didn’t grow up eating Nova Scotia Hodge Podge, but since I discovered it as an adult, it’s become one of my family’s favourite seasonal meals. It’s a beautiful way to showcase early summer vegetables.
If you can, I highly recommend picking up new potatoes, carrots, fresh beans, and sugar snap peas at your local farmer’s market. Summer market vegetables have a sweet tenderness that grocery store vegetables can never match. Some people use canned evaporated milk in Hodge Podge, but I prefer the flavour and texture of blend (10% cream). Combined with a bit of the starchy cooking water and lots of butter, it makes the lightest, silkiest broth.
Prep and cleanup are simple, though shelling peas does take a little time. I don’t blame you if you use frozen! Because it’s such a seasonal dish, Hodge Podge always feels special to me, even though really, it’s just a humble vegetable chowder.
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Ingredients For Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Ingredient Notes
- 10% Cream: Sometimes labelled as Blend cream in Canadian grocery stores.
- Butter: I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
- Fresh Peas: These need to be removed from the pods before cooking. Shelling takes a little time, so plan for that when prepping.
- Green Beans: Trim the stem end and snap or cut in half before cooking. Choose beans that are firm and unblemished.
- New Carrots: These are young carrots with thin, tender skins and a sweeter flavour. You don’t need to peel them. Just rinse and scrub gently.
- New Potatoes: Small, freshly harvested potatoes with thin skins that don’t need peeling. Just give them a gentle scrub in fresh water. Smaller potatoes can be left whole if you like.
- Salt and Pepper: Start with the amounts listed in the recipe, then adjust to taste at the end.
- Sugar Snap Peas: These are plump and crunchy with edible pods, but for this recipe, use them only for their peas. Shell and reserve the pods for another use.
- Yellow Beans: Prepare the same way as green beans by trimming the ends and snapping or cutting in half. They have a similar texture and cook time.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- 10% Cream: You can use an equal amount of canned evaporated milk.
- Butter: Use an equal amount of unsalted butter and add a small pinch of extra salt to the recipe.
- Salt & Pepper: Use any salt or pepper you like or have on hand.
- Sugar Snap Peas: You can use fresh garden peas or frozen peas as a quicker option.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this Nova Scotia Hodge Podge recipe:
- Bacon: ¼ to ½ cup, cooked and crumbled.
- Basil: 1 to 2 tablespoons, fresh, chopped.
- Corn: 1 cup, fresh or frozen kernels.
- Garlic: 1 to 2 cloves, minced.
- Haddock: 1 to 1 ½ cups, boneless, gently poached or steamed.
- Lobster: 1 cup, cooked meat, chopped.
- Onion: 1 small, finely chopped, sautéed and added with the cream and butter
- Pan-Seared Scallops: Add as many as you like, cooked separately and added just before serving.
- Pesto: 1 to 2 tablespoons, stirred in just before serving
- Salted Herbs: 1 teaspoon, stirred in with the cream and butter
- Thyme: 1 to 2 teaspoons, fresh, leaves only.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
STEP 1: Scrub and halve the potatoes, wash and halve the carrots, trim the beans and cut them in half, and shell the peas.
STEP 2: Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water and bring to a simmer. Add the carrots once the potatoes start to soften.
STEP 3: Once the carrots are nearly cooked, add the green and yellow beans and continue simmering until they are just tender.
STEP 4: Add the peas during the last couple of minutes of cooking to keep them bright and crisp.
STEP 5: Drain off most of the water, then add the cream, butter, salt, and pepper.
STEP 6: Simmer gently until the butter melts and everything is heated through. Serve hot.
Expert Tips
1. If you’re lucky enough to have new potatoes and carrots, don’t peel them. Their skin is tender and adds flavour.
2. Check the carrots and potatoes occasionally so they don’t overcook before the beans go in.
3. If you’re worried about curdling, add the cream and butter off the heat, then gently rewarm everything together.
Recipe Notes
- Keep the water at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil to avoid breaking up the tender vegetables.
- Stir gently once the cream and butter are added. New vegetables are delicate and can easily fall apart.
- Taste the broth at the end and adjust the salt and pepper until it tastes right to you.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Avoid boiling once the cream has been added, as it may split.
- Freezing Hodge Podge is not recommended, as the cream can separate and the vegetables may become mushy.
Recipes Related To Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Did you make this Nova Scotia Hodge Podge? Please rate the recipe and share your feedback in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more Nova Scotia recipes and seasonal comfort food.
Printable Recipe Card
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Special Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Large pot
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 4 cups new potatoes
- 3 cups new carrots
- 1 ½ cups green beans
- 1 ½ cups yellow beans
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 2 cups 10% cream , sometimes called Blend
- ⅔ cup salted butter
- ¾ teaspoon table salt, plus extra for cooking the vegetables
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
- Gently scrub the potatoes and cut them in half if they're large. Wash the carrots and slice them in half lengthwise. Trim the beans and cut them in half. Shell the peas.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with about 5 litres (5 quarts) of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of table salt to the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle-yet-lively simmer for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the potatoes start to soften.
- Add the carrots and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, or until both the potatoes and carrots are nearly tender.
- Add the green and yellow beans and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the beans are bright and just tender.
- Stir in the peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are bright green and just cooked.
- Drain off most of the cooking water, leaving about 1 cup (250 ml) in the bottom of the pot to help form the cream broth.
- Add the cream, butter, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Return the pot to low heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the vegetables are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
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- Keep the water at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil to avoid breaking up the tender vegetables.
-
- Stir gently once the cream and butter are added. New vegetables are delicate and can easily fall apart.
-
- Taste the broth at the end and adjust the salt and pepper until it tastes right to you.
Storage
-
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Avoid boiling once the cream has been added, as it may split.
-
- Freezing Hodge Podge is not recommended, as the cream can separate and the vegetables may become mushy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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