For Mother's Day, we asked local chefs to share a family recipe that they loved making with a maternal figure in their life. This recipe is from Paul Wahlberg, executive chef at Alma Nove in Hingham. Wahlberg named the restaurant after his mother, Alma, who inspired his love of food.
“When I think about cooking and what it means to me, it definitely started in the kitchen at home with my mother and my grandmother,” he told us. “There were nine of us, so they had a lot of people to feed. Watching the passion and love they put into it really influenced the way I feel about food.”
Alma Wahlberg's American Chop Suey Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 pound hamburger
- 1 large onion
- 1 large bell pepper
- 3 cans whole tomatoes
- 1 pound elbow noodles
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Directions:
In a large pot, cook bacon until it's half-way cooked.
Add hamburger, onions, bell pepper, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is thoroughly cooked.
Add the canned tomatoes and crush them by hand in the pot.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add elbow macaroni.
Once cooked, drain the macaroni and add it to the meat mixture and serve. (Serves eight.)
