Mexican on Bruce loves to cook

Al pastor marinade (pantry hack)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Al pastor is a tart and savoury marinade that begs for pork and fresh tortillas. I don’t always have easy access to whole dried chilies, but I do have ground dried and fresh ones, so this is a pantry version that captures the intent of a Mexican chili paste turned into a marinade.

Bruce’s quick fried black beans

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fried black beans are a perfect base for nachos, quick burritos, beans and rice, and other quick food hacks.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, diced
2–3 garlic cloves (or 1 tsp granulated garlic, or both)
1–2 tsp cumin
½ tsp ground chilies (or 1 tsp cayenne)
1–2 jalapeños, diced (seeds removed, if you like)
1 can (540 ml / 19 oz) black beans, drained
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste (a few grinds)
½–1 cup chopped cilantro leaves (optional)
½ lime, juiced (plus some zest for extra zing)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium until it shimmers. Sauté the onion until translucent, 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and chilies and cook until fragrant, another 1–2 minutes.

Corn salsa

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We were at the Rempels’ for dinner and Grandma made this corn salsa. We could not get enough of it.

Ingredients

5 cups corn, cut from the cob (about 4 large ears) or frozen
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup Parmesan, finely grated
2–3 tbsp lime juice
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup green onion, finely sliced (about 2 stems)
1 tbsp jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

Garnish

55 g (2 oz) cotija, feta, or Parmesan
jalapeño slices, cilantro leaves, lime wedges

Method

Cut the corn off the cob. If using frozen corn, don’t thaw it.

Gina’s tomato salsa

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Something similar to the fresh salsa at Gina’s Mexican Café, our favourite Nanaimo spot. This is a fairly liquidy salsa, great as a starter for a dinner party (or snack).

Salsa verde

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A classic fresh tomatillo salsa. It’s fresh, tart, and great on chips or tacos.

Ingredients

500 g (8–10) tomatillos, husks removed, halved
½ onion, roughly chopped
2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, chopped, seeds removed if you don’t like it hot
- or dried chilies, rehydrated, or 1–2 tbsp good ancho powder
2–3 cloves garlic
1 handful cilantro, lower stems removed
Salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (optional)

Method

Wash the vegetables and chop them roughly. For a deeper flavour, roast the tomatillos, onion, and garlic until they have brown spots.

Shredded taco chicken

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a quick shredded chicken for tacos, salads, or rice bowls.

Mechanic

Aim for a good crust and an internal temperature of 75–90°C (170–195°F). Dark meat with connective tissue softens above 75°C and shreds best closer to 90°C; lean cuts like breast shouldn’t go far past 70°C.

Arroz rojo (Mexican red rice)

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A good side for any Tex-Mex-style meal, and a filler for leftover burritos.

Ingredients

185 g long-grain white rice (1 cup)
2 tablespoons neutral oil
2 Roma tomatoes
¼ onion
1 garlic clove (optional)
1 serrano or jalapeño (optional)
Small pinch of cilantro (optional)
480 ml hot water (2 cups)
1½ tablespoons Knorr chicken bouillon powder

Garnish

¼ onion, finely sliced (optional)
1 jalapeño, halved (optional)
Chopped cilantro, to finish (optional)

Method

Wash the rice thoroughly in hot water, then finish with a cold rinse, until the water runs mostly clear. Spread it out and let it dry briefly.

Fajita chicken bowl

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fajita rice bowls are a quick weeknight dinner.

Mechanic

The marinade leans on toasted cumin and a cinnamon-forward spice blend as much as the acid-fat ratio. Pounding the chicken to even thickness is the key to consistent browning on a broil or grill. Toast and grind the whole cumin; pre-ground is noticeably flatter.

Lime crema

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A fresh-tasting sauce, perfect for nachos, tacos, or over rice bowls.

Ingredients

125 ml Mexican crema, sour cream, or Greek yogurt
30 ml mayonnaise
30 ml fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
30 g fresh cilantro (½ cup loosely packed), finely chopped
¼ teaspoon onion powder (or dehydrated or minced fresh onion)
1–2 g MSG

Method

Whisk or stir all ingredients together until combined. Taste and adjust salt and lime.