Brekky Tocino Banwich (bacon bannock breakfast sandwich)

Preparation

Homemade Tocino:

1. In a blender, combine garlic, onion, soy sauce, annatto seed (or paprika), brown sugar, salt, white vinegar, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and set aside.
2. Place the thinly sliced pork shoulder in an airtight container. Pour the marinade over the meat, add bay leaves, and mix to coat.
3. Marinate the pork in the fridge for 24 hours.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on high heat.
5. Sear the marinated pork for 8-10 minutes until caramelized or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Set aside.

Bannock

1. For this recipe, you’ll need thicker bannock slices to act as the bread for the sandwich. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and gently press each piece down to about ¼ inch thick.
2. Heat oil in a deep-frying pan and carefully fry the bannock pieces in batches. Fry until they are golden brown, then flip to cook the other side. The bannock should be cooked through, fluffy, and golden.
3. Once fried, place the bannock pieces on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
4. Use a bread knife to slice each bannock piece in half horizontally — these will serve as the bread slices for your sandwich.

Fried egg

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Crack the egg into the pan and fry until the edges are crisp and the yolk reaches your preferred doneness—medium-done works well for this sandwich. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Assembly

Spread a tablespoon of mayo evenly across each slice of bannock. On one side, layer 2 heaping fork-fulls of atchara, followed by a handful of fresh B.C. greens, a portion of seared tocino, hot sauce to taste, and a fried egg. Top with the remaining slice of bannock to complete the sandwich.

Pro tips

• If you’re short on time, pre-made tocino can be found in the frozen meat section of most Filipino grocery stores.
• For assembly, layer the lighter ingredients on the sandwich (like greens and atchara) first. Heavier ingredients like the pork and egg on top will help keep everything in place.

B.C. pairing suggestion

For coffee lovers, pair this sandwich with a cup of Indigenous Roots Coffee. If you prefer a cold, refreshing drink, Heartberry Soda is a great choice. Both are Indigenous-owned businesses honouring Indigenous territories across B.C.

Featured Indigenous-owned businesses

• Bangin’ Bannock (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories/ Vancouver, B.C.) is a social enterprise that specializes in creating and selling traditional and cultural Indigenous foods, with a focus on bannock inspired from family recipes.
• Sriracha Revolver (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories/ Vancouver, B.C.) produces handcrafted small batch sriracha-style hot sauce with local flavour and fire.
• Indigenous Roots Coffee (Haida, W̱SÁNEĆ and lək̓ʷəŋən traditional territories / headquartered in Haida Gwaii with roasting and operations in Victoria, B.C.) provides high-quality, specialty coffees reflecting the rich and exceptional cultures of Indigenous peoples.
• Heartberry Soda (Cree First Nation, with operations in Qayqayt First Nation (qiqéyt) territory / New Westminster, B.C.) is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and tradition, Heartberry Soda’s mission is to honour Indigenous heritage while offering unique sodas that utilize local plants.

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