by the Webmaster from Rochester, NY.
1 Portion; Serves: 1-2. Preparation time: 40 minutes.
For the Topping:
For the Garbage:
* French Fries can be substituted but Home Fries are the original.
† On the day before, boil the Macaroni, bake the Potato and grill the Hamburgers.
• TOPPING: In a large skillet, over medium heat, fry the Chopped Onion and Garlic in Vegetable Oil until soft. Add the Ground Beef and stir constantly until fully cooked and smooth. Now add the Water and Tomato Paste, stir and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Now add the rest of the 6 Spices and Brown Sugar. Cook another 20 minutes covered or add more Water if necessary. Remove from heat; the Topping is ready to use.
• GARBAGE: In a large bowl, mix well the drained Macaroni, Mayonnaise, Diced Celery and Carrots together. Now portion this Mac Salad on one third of a serving plate. Add the Baked Beans to another third of the plate. In a skillet, fry the Potato Slices in Butter until golden brown. Drain these Home Fries and place them on a third of the plate next to the Mac Salad and Beans. Cover the cooked Hamburgers with a slice of Cheese and heat the Cheeseburgers in the microwave for 30 seconds or until the Cheese starts to melt. Now place the hot Cheeseburgers on top of the plated Mac/Beans/Fries. In a small dish, mix together equal amounts of Mustard, Ketchup and Horseradish and drizzle this mixture over the top of both Cheeseburgers. Now add globs of the Topping. If desired, warm the whole plate in an oven or microwave before serving.
"The Garbage Plate" - This messy concoction was developed by Alex Tahou in Rochester, NY in the 1920s. It was vastly popular at Nick Tahou Hots (320 W. Main St., in business since 1918). A few variations exist, since Tahou's was also known for its Hot Dogs, including "White Hots", another Rochester tradition. It got it's name because some customer's often requested "put all the other garbage on it too!". The original meat and potatoes dish ("Hots and Po-Tots") was thus re-named "The Garbage Plate" by son, Nick. Tahou's Restaurant was popular with the late-night college crowd before they headed back to the dorms on the weekends. Some referred to the dish as the "late-night hangover cure". Many patrons mix up all three bases (Mac/Fries/Beans) into one big slurry before attacking the Hamburgers or Hot Dogs themselves. It seemingly became a right of passage from boyhood to manhood for many growing up there. Until 1998, the eatery was open 24 hours per day and served hundreds of Garbage Plates on weekends. You would often find police officers in the joint during their third shift, making it the safest place in town. Tahou's was even featured on a episode of the Food Network's Unwrapped and on the Travel Channel as well. For a while it was served on a styrofoam plate with a plastic knife and fork for a sloppy late-night take-out experience. The dish was trademarked in 1992 and is still served there today, 100+ years later.
