Dairy-Free on Bruce loves to cook

Beef stew

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is our classic-style beef stew. I tend to make it as a base now, skipping the potatoes and more delicate vegetables, which are served alongside it.

Mechanic

Brown the beef in batches without crowding; you want a sear, not a steam. The fond that builds on the bottom of the pot is the stew’s backbone; the wine deglaze lifts all of it. Making this as a minimal stew, without vegetables in the braise, means you can cook it longer without anything going mushy and serve it over whatever you have on hand.

Classic French dressing

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

French dressing is a classic early restaurant memory for us. The emulsified version is a North American twist, but it works just as well as an oil and vinegar dressing.

Focaccia

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I started making focaccia when I needed to find a use for some leftover pizza dough. I enriched it with olive oil, topped it with kosher salt, and baked it in a pan. We ate it with olive oil and balsamic, and it was lovely.

Fresh egg pasta

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Making pasta by hand is easier than it looks. It takes about 20 minutes, plus a bit of cleanup.

Mechanic

250g flour to 2 whole eggs plus 4 yolks is the ratio. Extra yolks rather than whole eggs make the pasta richer, more golden, and silkier in texture. The 30-minute rest after kneading relaxes the gluten so the dough sheets smoothly without springing back.

Peanut sauce

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A good peanut sauce is perfect with salad rolls and satay.

Ingredients

150g (½ cup) hoisin sauce
60g (¼ cup) peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
60 ml (¼ cup) warm water

Method

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Thin with more water if needed.

Dairy-free tomato soup

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

White beans are an Old World secret for making thick, hearty soups. Blended, they add a creamy texture and some protein without muddying the flavour.

Ingredients

1 can (796 ml / 28 oz) whole tomatoes, with their liquid
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
- baby lima, cannellini, great northern, etc.
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp miso (or light soy sauce)
1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar, to taste
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp vegan butter (optional)
a few basil leaves, torn (optional)

Method

In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion with the salt in the olive oil until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly until it starts to stick.

Vegan burger

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

A hearty bean, nut, and mushroom burger. The vital wheat gluten gives it a savoury chew, so it holds together in the pan instead of crumbling.

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts and/or cashews, chopped
1 cup black beans, chopped or mashed
1 cup chickpeas, chopped or mashed
1 onion, diced
225 g (8 oz) mushrooms, diced
1 cup oats, pulsed in a food processor if you can
½ cup grated beets
½ cup vital wheat gluten
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, diced, or ½ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp liquid smoke
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for frying
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high. Fry the mushrooms, onion, and nuts until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and everything is browning, 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Let cool.

Tofu in tomato sauce

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A Vietnamese home-style dish: fried tofu braised briefly in a quick tomato and shallot sauce.

Mechanic

The key is frying the tofu separately before it meets the sauce. A golden crust holds shape during the braise and absorbs flavour without turning to mush. Lard rather than oil deepens the sauce noticeably: worth seeking out.

Lemon-lime iced tea

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

This is my favourite spring and summer drink.

Ingredients

400 ml cold brewed tea
3 heaping tsp sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lime juice
10 ml (2 tsp) fresh lemon juice
ice

Method

Put the sugar, lime juice, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker (or a pint glass, with a second one to cap it) with ice. Add the tea and shake until cold and slightly frothy.

Chicken yakisoba

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a warm, filling Japanese stir-fry.

Ingredients

Sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Stir-fry

2 chicken breasts, cut into 4 cm strips
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, sliced
1 carrot, cut into thin planks
½ head green cabbage, roughly chopped
3 green onions, cut into thirds
100 g (1 cup) bean sprouts
450 g yakisoba noodles (e.g. Maruchan)

Method

Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Garlic broccoli

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Classic takeout garlic broccoli is very simple, and delicious.

Ingredients

400 g broccoli (about 4 cups), cut into florets
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
250 ml vegetable stock, chicken stock, or dashi
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water, combined into a slurry

Method

Heat a wok over high until smoking. Add the oil and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant and just starting to colour, about 30 seconds.

Weeknight ginger beef

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a quick version of ginger beef, great in rice bowls.

Mechanic

Drizzle soy around the edge of the hot wok, not into the centre. It caramelizes briefly as it hits the metal before reaching the meat, adding depth without extra ingredients.

Greek marinade

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

I developed this when trying to replicate a local Greek restaurant’s roast chicken and potatoes. It’s good enough for a weeknight meal.

Mechanic

Built on a roughly 1:1 olive oil to lemon juice base, with red wine vinegar added for a sharper secondary acid. It needs more lemon than 1:1 suggests; start there and taste up.

Crispy chicken rub

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

When we crave shake-and-bake, this is what we make. It hits the same notes with fewer calories.

Mechanic

Baking powder in a dry rub raises the surface pH of the skin, which helps it brown and crisp faster. Use it sparingly; too much leaves a chalky flavour. Mushroom powder, if you have it, adds quiet umami that amplifies any pan sauce or gravy.

Essence of cola

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

Who doesn’t like cola? This is a great mixer or addition to a glaze.

Mechanic

A concentrated syrup of citrus oils, warm spices, and caramel notes that forms the flavour base of a homemade cola. Gum arabic is the traditional emulsifier that gives cola its characteristic mouthfeel; it’s optional but worth including. The browning sauce adds the dark colour without bitterness.

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.

Simple marinara

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

A perfect sauce for flatbreads, pizza, and as a quick pasta sauce.

Mechanic

A short, hot cook: the tomato paste goes in first and caramelizes briefly in the fat, the wine lifts it off the pan, and the tin of tomatoes finishes it in 15 minutes. Cooking it in meat drippings instead of oil (see Variations) makes it much more savoury.

Quick pizza sauce

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A quick pizza sauce that requires only tomato paste. One batch makes enough for about one pizza.

Mechanic

Built on double-strength tomato paste rather than crushed tomatoes. The paste is already concentrated so the sauce is ready in under 15 minutes and has a deep tomato flavour without a long simmer. The splash of wine deglazes and adds acidity.

Vindaloo paste

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Vindaloo is my favourite curry, so I developed this paste.

Mechanic

In this version, the fenugreek and dried chilies set the paste apart from a generic curry paste. Toast all whole spices first: the heat activates their oils and deepens every flavour in the final dish.

Asian slaw dressing

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is my approximation of an Asian slaw dressing, based on pantry ingredients. It’s a great base for a slaw or chunky salad.

Mechanic

A weight-based emulsified dressing at 2:1 oil to acid. The Dijon acts as both flavour and emulsifier; the sesame oil is for aroma, not bulk.

Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis style)

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is a great glaze for pork or chicken, perfect for rice bowls.

Mechanic

A 1:1.5 ratio of soy sauce to brown sugar by volume. Heat is what makes this a glaze rather than just a sweetened soy: the sugar dissolves and begins to thicken as it reduces.

Thai cucumber relish

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is our version of a common Thai side.

Ingredients

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ cm dice
60ml white vinegar (¼ cup)
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce

Method

Stir together vinegar and sugar until dissolved. Add fish sauce, red pepper flakes, shallot, and cucumber. Toss to combine. Fold in mint just before serving.

Adobo seasoning mix

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This dry rub is especially nice on beef flank or chuck. Great for tacos.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons onion powder
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder

Method

Combine all spices and store in a sealed jar. Label with the date.

Chicken patties

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

I love chicken sandwiches. The ground chicken patties bread nicely, but are also great on their own.

Mechanic

Two separate formulas. The brine is for whole breast fillets pounded thin: the vinegar tenderizes and the salt firms the texture. The ground chicken follows a percentage formula per kilogram, which scales cleanly for larger batches. Added water and a little baking soda raise the pH, so the meat holds more moisture and turns springy and substantial, like Vietnamese or Chinese beef balls.

Char siu marinade

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A sweet and warming marinade for chicken and pork.

Mechanic

A ratio-based marinade where “1” equals ¼ cup (60 ml). Doubling or tripling scales cleanly. The marinade finishes as a reduction glaze: boil the remainder down until thick and sticky while the meat roasts.

Lentil tacos

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A hearty, frugal filling for tacos. Delicious, too.

Mechanic

Lightly roasting the nuts before adding them preserves texture inside the filling. Cook lentils to just al dente: they will continue softening in the sauce and mushy lentils lose all structure.

Coconut lentils

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

A comforting, lovely lentil stew. Or is it curry?

Mechanic

1 part lentils to 3 parts liquid (coconut milk + broth combined) produces a thick, spoonable consistency. Red lentils break down fully; green or brown lentils hold their shape for a chunkier result, but need 35–45 minutes and a splash more broth. Freezes well and reheats without losing texture.

Pizzeria pizza sauce

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Our pizza sauce continues to evolve. This version uses passata and is uncooked.

Mechanic

Built on strained tomatoes rather than crushed, so the sauce is smooth without blending. All quantities by weight: this scales cleanly. The balsamic adds body and a mild acidity that a straight tomato sauce lacks.

Onion bhaji

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

These are delicious fritters, best served with coriander-mint and tangy tamarind date chutney.

Mechanic

Bhajis are a spiced onion fritter bound with egg and gram flour. The potato adds body and absorbs some oil. Keep the batter loose rather than thick: tight batter produces stodgy centres. The salted onions release liquid that wets the batter; if the batter ends up too loose, add the extra flour before anything else. The frying oil does double duty: spent oil is fragrant and makes a good base for curries like [[Base curry gravy]].

Garlic ginger wing sauce

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Garlic and wings are a great combination. These lean sweet and savoury.

Mechanic

Equal parts soy, honey, and hoisin form the base; sake or rice vinegar cuts the sweetness. Fresh-grated aromatics (not jarred paste) give this its character: the shallot in particular rounds out the garlic and ginger.

Miso salmon

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Savoury and sweet, a subtle glaze for a clean and simple meal.

Mechanic

The miso paste acts as both marinade and glaze. White miso is sweeter and milder; red miso is deeper and saltier. The marinade will start to firm up the fish as the salt draws out moisture. This is not a problem and actually helps the glaze adhere. Pull at 50–53°C for medium.