This is another recipe from Bill Hilbrich from Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Bill says that if you have any questions feel free to email him - click here or if you would like to know a little bit more about Bill have a look at his Bio page - click here.

Bill had this to say about the recipe: "This dish came from Poland and has been a part of Central Minnesota's tradition since the depression when churches began serving it, partly to make a little money and partly to help feed people well and cheaply. The original Bouja required long slow cooking of the meat and vegetables and that used to be done over wood fires. Today's home (or grocery store) canned and frozen vegetables speeds this up a lot. My source for this recipe is The Minneapolis Star: Wed. April 19, 1972 : Bouja is Bouja. ".

Ingredients

2 (6 to 7 lb) hens
6 - 8 lb boiling beef
2 stalks celery, cut up
1 head cabbage (about 2 lb) cut up
8 onions cut up
6 (12oz) packs frozen beans, corn, peas, carrots, etc
2 (15 oz) cans rutabagas
2 (15 oz) cans lima beans
2 (15 oz) cans cut yellow beans
2 Large (28 oz) cans whole, peeled tomatoes crushed
salt and pepper to taste
1 oz dry pickling spice

Method

• Boil chicken and beef in a heavy kettle until tender. Use enough water to cover. Remove meat and cut into small bite-sized chuncks. Discard fat and skin.

• To broth, add celery, cabbage, onions and boil until almost tender.

• Add remaining vegetables according to taste and desired thickness.

• After vegetables have cooked a short time together add meat and simmer until meat breaks apart. Stir occasionally with a wooden paddle.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• Put (very important) dry pickling spice in a strong cloth bag and tie firmly with string so it won't come apart. Drop the bag into the simmering bouja plunging it in and out. After a short time, tasting as you go until it tastes right.

Bill Hilbrich