Mains on Bruce loves to cook

Stir fry two ways

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Two pork stir fries from one method: lemongrass pork, and sweet ginger and garlic pork. Use a lean, tender cut like pork sirloin tip, which wants a fast cook. There’s no deep frying, so both are much lighter than takeout.

Thai-inspired noodle soup

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A coconut curry noodle soup built on quick-marinated pork (a shortcut to [[Velveting (pork)|velveting]]), lemongrass, and whatever vegetables are on hand. Brown the pork fast and leave it underdone, so it finishes in the soup and stays tender.

Cherry tomato and garlic spaghetti

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, and garlic cooked together in a little oily water, so the sauce makes itself as the water boils off. It’s the [[Cherry tomato and garlic pasta]] build of one-pan pasta.

Oklahoma fried onion burger

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The fried onion burger is a classic diner burger; sweet, savoury, and simple.

Mechanic

The onion is smashed into the patty, not cooked beside it. A ball of beef goes on a hot griddle under a pile of paper-thin onion, and a heavy press drives the onion into the meat. The beef browns underneath while the onion steams in its juices on top; after the flip, the onion fries in the beef fat until it’s sweet and browned at the edges. Use about 2 parts beef to 1 part onion by weight: less onion and it’s a smash burger with a garnish, more and the patty won’t hold together. The onion has to be sliced paper thin, or it won’t cook through before the beef is done.

Chicken Milanese

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a lighter version of Milanese, with no egg or breadcrumbs. Crispy chicken and a pan sauce pairs nicely with fresh sides.

Mechanic

A quick flour dredge and fry leaves the pan full of fond, ready to become a pan sauce while the chicken rests.

Lazy tomato soup

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A warm bowl of soup on a fall day is a wondrous thing. This is a classic fridge magnet recipe that I use to clean up old veg.

Mechanic

This is a one-pot pasta: the pasta cooks directly in the soup, with starch as the only thickener. Reduce the cooking liquid down to just what the soup needs. The released starch turns it smooth and velvety without any flour or cream.

Butternut squash curry

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A simplified weeknight coconut curry built around pan-browned butternut squash and yellow Thai curry paste. Soy sauce keeps it vegetarian; fish sauce adds more depth if you eat it.

Ingredients

250 g long-grain white rice, uncooked
3 tablespoons coconut or canola oil, divided
½ small butternut squash (about 450 g), peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, peeled
3 tablespoons yellow Thai curry paste
1 can (400 ml) light coconut milk
1 jalapeño or Thai chili, halved
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1 cm pieces
2-4 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or fish sauce if not vegetarian
140 g (5 oz) baby spinach, chopped
Chopped cashews and cilantro, to serve

Method

Cook the rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and beginning to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Instant Pot chicken thigh curry

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adapted from an Instant Pot beef chuck curry, swapped to boneless chicken thighs for a faster weeknight cook. Pressure time is cut way down from the original, which called for 35 minutes to break down chuck roast.

Pressure cooker Japanese curry

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a simple, warm curry, based on widely available Japanese curry cubes. These cubes last forever and are delicious.

Mechanic

The curry roux goes in on top of the other ingredients, unmixed, right before sealing the lid. Stirring it in first lets it sink and scorch on the bottom under pressure; left on top, it melts gradually into the stock as the pot comes up to pressure and stays clear of the heating element.

Pulled pork

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pulled pork is a great base for dozens of dishes, including sliders, chilies, tacos, macaroni, rice bowls, and more.

Mechanic

The pork braises in stock and aromatics only; the barbecue sauce is a separate reduction of vinegar, ketchup, and liquid smoke, not the strained braising liquid. Keeping them apart means the sauce flavour doesn’t depend on how much fat and pork juice ends up in the pot.

Gyro dogs

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This recipe was inspired by a Chef John video. It inspired me to make the gyro mix as a base, which I freeze in large flat zip-top bags.

Mechanic

This is sausage-making technique applied to a gyro spice blend; see the [[Gyro base]] Mechanic for how the cold water and panade emulsify the meat. That emulsion is what gives the dogs their snap and lets them hold a hot-dog shape on the grill instead of falling apart like a loose burger. Skipping the chill or under-mixing gives a crumbly result.

Pad kra pao moo saap

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Thailand’s everyday lunch dish: minced pork stir-fried hard and fast with garlic, chili, and holy basil, served over rice with a fried egg. The dish lives or dies on two things: real holy basil (not sweet Thai basil) and heat high enough to sear the pork rather than steam it.

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.

Beef stroganoff

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

A warm and comforting stew. This is a 3-part stroganoff that covers a few styles of the dish.

Mechanic

This recipe exists in three versions; choose the protein and build accordingly. The method is the same in all three: brown the beef, brown the mushrooms, deglaze, simmer, finish with sour cream. The sour cream must be tempered (hot liquid added gradually) or it will break.

Butter chicken

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

Butter chicken was a gateway curry for our kids. This recipe is our best attempt at the warm, delicious curries from our local takeout shops.

Mechanic

This is a BIR-style (British Indian Restaurant) butter chicken, built on a pre-made base curry gravy rather than starting from scratch. The gravy does the heavy lifting; this recipe adds the butter, cream, and finishing flavours that make it distinctly butter chicken.

Butternut squash soup

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

This is a warm, filling soup that pairs nicely with garlic or cheese bread, or grilled cheese.

Mechanic

Roasting the squash and vegetables first concentrates their sugars and develops colour before anything goes in the pot. Straining the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve at the end gives a silky texture you can’t get any other way. Loosen with stock until it pours easily. It’s not a pie filling.

Meatballs

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

A scalable, by-weight meatball for spaghetti, braises, and the freezer.

Mechanic

A meatball is a protein base, binders, moisteners (panade), and flavourings. The panade, breadcrumbs soaked in liquid, keeps the meatball from drying out. Grated onion (not diced) disappears into the mix and adds moisture. The percentages below are by weight, relative to 1 kg of ground meat, so the recipe scales to any quantity.

Minestrone

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

This is a classic, comforting soup, perfect for late summer or fall.

Mechanic

The vegetarian base replaces pancetta with deeply browned mushrooms, toasted bread, and smoked paprika. The bread is the surprising part: it toasts in the oil, adding a savoury nuttiness that disappears into the soup. Don’t skip it.

Vegetarian lasagna

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

This was our kids’ first and favourite lasagna, and we used it as a vessel to hide vegetables in.

Mechanic

Eggs in the cheese filling bind the layers together so the lasagna cuts cleanly as a casserole. Draining the ricotta and cottage cheese if they’re watery prevents the lasagna from going soupy. The 20-minute rest after baking is non-negotiable: the layers need time to set before cutting.

Baked mac & cheese

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

This is a classic baked mac and cheese. You can sub in pretty much any combo of cheese, though some are better than others: cheddar, Jack, and something like Gruyère or Edam make a great base, or you can lean towards a creamier sauce with provolone, smoked Gouda, and Edam. I’ve seen people use cream cheese, but it doesn’t add much flavour (provolone or mozzarella gets a similar effect while adding some needed funk).

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.

Boerenkool stamppot

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

This is a rustic farmer mash, a family recipe from one of the Dutch branches of our tribe. Roughly translated, it’s farmer’s cabbage hodgepodge: a combination of potatoes, cruciferous vegetables (in our version, kale), and dairy.

Bruce’s Thai red/green curry

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

These are rough approximations for the Thai red and green curries I’ve been making for many years now. These are not super authentic, but are based in reality from some recon a friend did at a local Thai restaurant back in the 90s.

Bulgogi beef

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

This is a sweet, barbecued Korean beef dish that is typically made with boneless short rib or rib eye. It can also be made with ground beef or pork for a faster weeknight meal.

Canadian chili

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

The chili I grew up with is not the chili of the American South. It’s a beany, tomato vegetable stew with a hint of beef.

Mechanic

Layers of browned mushrooms stand in for most of the beef. Cook them until they give up their water, then keep going until they brown and start to stick; that fond, deglazed with stock, is the savoury base. Add ground meat or TVP to the same stage if you want it meatier.

Creamy roasted red pepper soup

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

We had half a kilo of baby red peppers left over after a social event, so I tried a simple roasted red pepper soup. This is roughly based on Chef John’s take, but with the ingredients that I tend to have on hand.

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.

Farmer soup

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

This is a work-in-progress recipe to replicate Farmer Soup (from the ABC Country Restaurants). This needs to use farmer sausage from Rempel Meats in Abbotsford, or a large hand-made, smoked farmer sausage.

French onion soup

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

This is a simplified version of the classic French-cut, slowly caramelized onion soup. It blends methods from Serious Eats, Chef John, Andrew Rea, Joshua Weissman, and others.

Mechanic

The flavour comes from the fond: onions cooked low and slow for an hour or more until deeply browned, with the brown layer scraped off the bottom of the pot again and again before it burns. Traditionally the soup uses a homemade veal or beef stock, but it also works well with a [[Rich veg/mushroom stock]].

Jerk chicken

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

This recipe is based on something I found in a magazine in the 90s, recently updated with Chef John’s simplified version and the Serious Eats method. I knew a guy who made the best jerk chicken I’ve ever had, but he wouldn’t share his recipe. This is about as close as I could get to that now fading memory.

Korma/qorma

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

This is a simple korma paste, which is combined with [[Base curry gravy]] and other ingredients to make various braised dishes.

Ingredients

About 8 onions, finely sliced
6 tbsp green sultanas
1 tbsp [[Ginger-garlic paste]]
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp ghee
Water

Method

Heat the oil and ghee in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until soft and deep golden, 40–60 minutes. Add a splash of water whenever they start to catch.

Lentil stew

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

This stew is based on a package we bought from a farmers market years ago (as Jamaican Me Hungry Lentil Stew). It’s a great stew on its own, or over roasted veg.

Maui/Kalua pulled pork

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

This is a Hawaiian-style pulled pork that doesn’t need a BBQ or fire pit, based on various recipes from local Maui residents. The pork itself is simply seasoned, braised, and pulled, paired with a sweet and acidic sauce.

Nine bean soup mix

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

A ham-hock bean soup built on a mix of nine dried beans.

I found this recipe in our old recipe book with the following: All proceeds to charitable projects CHAPTER BF, PEO SISTERHOOD, ABBOTSFORD, BC.

Pan-fried chicken burger

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

This is a sort of copy-cat recipe of the BK classic chicken sandwich, which is a lightly breaded, pepper-forward, minced patty made from mostly white meat. I like them with fresh onion, mustard, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. The goal is something with a few layers of crunch, some bite, and a good kick of savoury fatty goodness.

Perogies

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

This recipe is from an old family recipe card. Not our family, of course, but from a random internet stranger’s family.

Dough

3 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
~¾ cup warm water

Combine everything except the water in a large bowl. Add the water gradually and mix until you have a soft, pliable dough. It’s a wet dough, so flour the counter well when you roll it. Cover and let it rest while you make the filling.

Potato, leek, and mushroom soup

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

For the 2021 Christmas season, we made a variety of soups. This one was one of them, and it combines two of our favourite soups into one: potato-leek, and mushroom-cream. It’s based roughly on Serious Eats’ and Chef John’s take on the dish.

Pulled BBQ-style chicken

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

This is a simple pulled or shredded BBQ-style chicken that can be made without a smoker or BBQ. It’s a braise, so it works on the stovetop, in the oven, in a crock pot, or in a pressure cooker. I prefer making it in the oven, in covered hotel pans.

Quick crispy wings

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

I like to save wings from the whole chickens that I roast for weekly dinners by stashing them in the freezer until I have enough for a wing day. In 3–4 weeks I’ll have 5 birds’ worth of wings, which when split at the elbow makes 20 winglets. That’s enough for 2–3 people, served with some veg.

Simple rice bowls

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

Rice bowls are a simple combination of rice, veg, protein, and sauces. You can put pretty much any combination of foods in a rice bowl, and the goal is a balance of crunch and savoury. These bowls are about 650–800 kcal per portion.

Simpler Thai red curry

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

This is a simpler version of my Thai curry recipe that works especially well with vegetarian ingredients. It’s a bit closer to an authentic curry, except that we skip the shrimp paste and use a commercial curry paste rather than making it from scratch.

Spaghetti squash boats (or casserole)

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

This dish is great when spaghetti squash is in season.

Both Grandma Rempel and my sister, Teresa, eat Spaghetti Squash Boats (Grandma) or Spaghetti Squash Casserole (Teresa) on a weekly basis! So we wanted to give it a try. The concepts are pretty much the same and both have room for variations.

The anything casserole

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

You can make pretty much any leftovers into a casserole. This works especially well with large holiday dinner leftovers, or family-style takeout for American/Chinese, Indian, Thai, and similar cuisines.

Ingredients

2–3 cups cooked, seasoned protein, such as:
- turkey or chicken
- minced beef (cottage pie)
- lentils or chili (vegetarian cottage pie)
- breakfast eggs (can be made vegetarian)
- stir-fried pork, curry, and so on
1–2 cups gravy, matched to the protein
2–3 cups mashed potatoes
2–3 cups vegetables, from dinner or a frozen mix
½ cup grated cheese (optional)

Method

Layer the protein and gravy in a baking dish. Cover with the vegetables, spread the potatoes over top, and sprinkle with cheese.

Turkey burgers

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

It can be difficult to make turkey into a great burger without some extra oomph. This recipe uses extras packed with flavour to add savouriness, improve texture, and help browning.

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.

White Spot burger

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

This is Bruce’s take on the classic White Spot Triple “O” deluxe burger (lettuce and tomatoes make it deluxe; cheddar and bacon make it a “BC” burger).

The White Spot burgers are something like a 70:30 beef blend on a soft bun. I believe they use preformed patties these days, but I’ve found that at home a smashed 115–140 g (4–5 oz) patty works better, as you can get a nice crust on it.

Winter noodle soup, with kale and fennel

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

This is a hearty and herbal noodle soup. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken and stock with large white beans and a [[Rich veg/mushroom stock|veg stock]].

Chicken

1 whole chicken, or 1 large (560 g, 20 oz) can of white beans
salt and pepper

Spatchcock the chicken: cut out the spine and remove the wings with shears, and save them for stock. Season the bird with salt and pepper and rest it in the fridge for 45 minutes.

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.

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.

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.