World on Bruce loves to cook

Basic beans and lentils

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

Beans and lentils are a great addition to soups and stews, or as a side dish.

Mechanic

The water-to-legume ratio and cook time depend on the legume: lentils and split peas use less water and cook fast, while beans need more water and much longer. Soaking is optional. It shortens the cooking time but does little for gassiness.

Chicken or turkey stock

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

This is a rich chicken or turkey stock that uses the bones left over from breaking down whole birds. Great for soup, sauces, and consommé.

Ingredients

Spines, ribcages, and wing tips from 3 whole chickens
2 large carrots
2 onions
1 shallot (optional; sub onion or garlic)
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme or rosemary, or a few sprigs
~2 tablespoons vegetable oil
~5 L water

Add-ins

1 knob ginger, diced (optional)
Bouquet garni, fennel, and similar (optional)

Method

Heat the oven to 220°C (450°F). Slice the vegetables thinly (or roughly) and toss them with the thawed bones and oil on one or more roasting trays. A mandoline is handy for the denser vegetables; slice the softer ones by hand.

Fruit compote

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

This is a generic fruit compote, which I typically make with frozen or canned fruit.

Mechanic

Compote is fruit reduced in its own juice with sugar. Start at 10 parts fruit to 1 part sugar by weight, then sweeten to taste at the end; tart fruit can take more. Juicy or frozen fruit releases enough liquid on its own. Add water only for firm fruit like apples or pears. The flavouring should suit the fruit: citrus zest brightens berries, cinnamon and nutmeg suit apples and pears, and balsamic deepens red fruit.

Rich veg/mushroom stock

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

This is a rich vegetable stock, a perfect replacement for beef stock in soups and stews. It’s simplified with a French profile, but can easily be adapted to phở, ramen, or any cuisine with a few add-ins. This recipe blends the method from Bon Appétit’s Andy with Glen & Friends Cooking (AKA, Canada’s Alton Brown), which rely on thinly sliced veg roasted for hours to deliver a deeply flavoured and coloured stock.

Simple chicken, pork, and beef gravy

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

Gravy is a simple sauce of meat drippings thickened with a roux.

Mechanic

A roux is equal parts fat and flour by weight. Use about 1:5 roux to liquid (for example, 50 g roux to 250 ml liquid). A darker roux tastes nuttier but thickens slightly less.

Almond chocolate cake

Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a lovely, light, chocolate cake.

Mechanic

The beaten eggs and sugar are the only leavening: no flour, no baking powder. Beat until the mixture has tripled in volume and gone very pale; this is what lifts the cake. Ground almonds give it structure and a dense, fudgy crumb. Don’t overbake: the skewer test fails here. You want the crust firm and the interior still moist.

Roast poultry

Sat, 31 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A roasted chicken or turkey is a comforting base for a family meal, or for food prep.

Mechanic

Dark and light meat have different target temperatures. Splitting them into separate pans and starting dark meat 30–45 minutes earlier solves this without tenting or shielding. No water in the pan: the char marks are deliberate and deglaze into stock. Two temperatures: low to build internal temp evenly, high to finish and brown.

Sandwich sour pickles

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

These are delicious little pickles, perfect for fresh roast beef sandwiches.

Mechanic

A fast fridge pickle built for max contrast over sweetness. No sugar, no turmeric, no brightening agents: just sharp acid and mustard seed. The ratio is roughly 1.2:1 water to vinegar, which is milder than a straight vinegar pickle.

Mushroom and lentil freezer base

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A savoury and tasty vegetarian base for stews, chilies, and soups.

Mechanic

This is a vegetarian analogue to [[Beef base]]. The mushrooms must go through three stages (dry → wet → dry + browned) before adding anything else: rushing this step produces a flat, steamed flavour instead of a deep savoury one.

Rice pudding

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Sweet, soft, and comfort in a bowl. Great with fruit or ice cream.

Mechanic

Adding the beaten egg early lets it temper gradually as the mixture heats, producing a smooth, custardy texture rather than scrambled flecks. Target about 70°C; the egg starts to curdle above about 80°C.

Tomato soup

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of tomato soup? Pair with simple grilled cheese!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
800 ml tinned whole tomatoes (2 × 400 ml tins)
250 ml chicken or vegetable broth (1 cup)
60 ml cream (¼ cup)
salt and black pepper

Method

Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.