Jeff Woled sent me this via the internet and I present it here, warts and all!!!!

ROSIE THIBEAULT’S FRENCH-CANADIAN DYNAMITE


“I know you thought this was Italian, however the prize winning recipe below, taken from the (Woonsocket) Call, is obviously Canuck. Rosie Thibeault ran a luncheonette on Hamlet Ave. and supposedly invented it in 1939. Also, I learned that Dynamites are indigenous to the Woonsocket/Blackstone/Bellingham area. You couldn't, and may still can't, get one in North Smithfield. Bon appetit!” (These are Jeff's words).


3 pounds freshly ground beef (see Note 1)
1 large green pepper, diced, no seeds
1 large red pepper, diced, no seeds
2 medium onions, diced (or 1 Vidalia onion)
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons butter to saute (see Note 2)
1 cup water (1 1/2 cups if using 5 pounds of beef)
2 -3 small cans tomato paste (or your own sauce from fresh tomatoes)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

In a large saucepan, saute diced peppers, onions and tomatoes in butter until soft. Add the water. Cook for a minute or two until the vegetables are blended. In same pot, add ground hamburger and cook until evenly browned and most of the water dissipates. Using a ladle, spoon off grease from top of the meat. A little bit left is fine but you do not want a lot. Then, add the tomato paste or homemade sauce and seasonings. The consistency should not be too loose or mushy. Add just enough paste to coat the meat. Sample the dynamite. You may want to add a bit more seasonings to desired taste. The dynamite will be stronger if left to mesh overnight, so keep this in mind when adding more seasonings.

The dynamite must sit in the fridge (covered, in the same pot) for a day so that all of the spices blend. It tastes much better when this step is taken. The dynamite can be reheated in the same pot on the stove or on the side burner of a grill. Serve on torpedo rolls (see note 3).

Note 1: You can use up to 5 pounds of meat without the need to double ingredients.

Note 2: We also use 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or canola oil.

Note 3: Calise Bakery or Lil’ General Stores sell torpedo rolls.

The dynamite recipe can also be used as a topping on hot dogs.

Yield: Feeds a crowd.


My comments on this recipe:

I doubt that Rosie knew about Vidalia onions in 1939. Use good old yellow onions first. Vidalias are sweet and cost more than regular yellow onions. Remember, this is supposed to be cheap eats! Most of the homemade dynamites that I have seen also used celery – remember, this recipe is a depression-era attempt at stretching a little meat a long way. I use one or two stalks per pound of meat. Also, neither butter nor olive oil are needed since there is plenty of fat in the ground beef and this is supposed to be cheap eats (I know - I am redundant). Water is not necessary because the vegetables have plenty. I use more veggies than Rosie: equal pounds of peppers and onions to the ground beef (that is 3# of beef, 3# of peppers and 3# of onions). I would not dice the veggies - larger chunks are a better presentation and much more fun. I like to add fresh garlic, more tomatoes (or good canned tomatoes), less tomato paste and plenty of Italian seasoning. I leave out the salt because there is plenty in the tomatoes, beef, celery, peppers and onions. No way would I top a hot dog with this!

Here is what I do:

Start the beef in a cold pot on low to medium heat. As the beef cooks, crumble it into smaller and smaller chunks. Add peppers, onion, celery, tomatoes and spices all together at the same time and cook for hours until the whole shebang is reduced considerably in volume. I go easy on the red pepper flakes, because many folks (especially many older Canucks and children) are repelled by spicy food. I supply extra flakes on the table, as well as Tabasco and other hot sauces, to spark the flames on the tongue.

Alas, most of us have no access to Calise or L’il General stores outside of Woonsocket, so choose a good quality soft (but absorbent) submarine roll. It is important to find an un-sliced roll so that you can slice it on top. Something about side-slicing a roll burns my butt.