What secret/special ingredient do you add to certain food/dishes?

hotcookie101

I'm not sure if it has been said but shepherds pie (actually probably cottage pie as made with beef mince, but I just can't bring myself to call it that, as my mammy always said shepherds ) is not complete without lea and perrins Worcestershire sauce, and lots of it i add a fair bit when cooking (plus some bisto granules-the only thing I use Bisto in...) and then when I eat it it has LOADS extra, yum yum yum...

A square of dark (70%cocoa preferably) chocolate in chilli.

Always add sugar to tomatoes, especially tinned-I use approx 1/2 teaspoon per tin of toms in Bolognase sauce/chilli/goulash/pasta sauce-it counteracts the citric acid they tin them with. If I make grilled toms for brucetta (scrummy with toasted ciabatta, spread with green pesto and roasted/grilled toms) I sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar when I add the salt&pepper, it really improves the flavour

Anchovies in roast lamb-mmmmmmmmmmmm I never believed it before I tried it, but make slits in the lamb with knife, and push slivers of anchovy and garlic into some, and rosemary into others, the anchovy melts away and the lamb tastes sublime (but not of fish )

ooh am hungry now....

Ada_Doom

My oh made me a birthday cake from Nigells's Feast book that had custard powder in the sponge and it was fantastic.He also reacently made fairy cakes for the kids that had yogurt in and they were really moist.

squirrelchops

Hi all,

I add a grating of nutmeg into bolognaise sauce.....just seems to make it a little 'richer'.

As others have said I also put a dollop of mustard into cheese sauce. I like adding wholegrain mustard to mash spud if having it with suasages or pork chops...yum!

Made soup at work today, had no veg stock cubes as one lady is a vegetarian....I used some marmite in boiling water for the stock. Now I know this isn't revolutionary but I hadn't done that before!!!

naturally_2

What a brilliant thread!

I find a jar of garlic cloves ready to use (Tesco, 99p in the "ingredients" range) and lazy ginger to be lifesavers for loads of dishes. Chillis I just can't get anything else to compare to using fresh ones, and mixed dried herbs go in pretty much everything I cook!

traceys9062

I add a heaped dessertspoon of mango chutney to shepherds pie & casseroles, delicious!!

Also when I make gravy I add some vegetables (brocolli, carrots or cabbage usually) & blitz it in the blender. Tastes lovely & a bit of 'hidden' veg!!!

Mini_Bear

Bovril in brownies - yum!

naturally_2

I mused on a post on this thread (at least I hope it was this thread) which said cheap tinned tomatoes are not all tomato but contain sugar and salt...

Now I have always assumed a tinned tomato is a tinned tomato, so like the geek I am, when I did my food shop yesterday I browsed the value, discounter and standard tesco lines of tinned tomatoes, and none seem to have either salt or sugar added. One had added tomato juice, another tomato puree (which I imagine may contain small amounts of sugar & salt) and all had added water, but that was it - no nasties, E numbers or sugar or salt.

So feel free to buy cheap tinned tomatoes free from worry :T

nesssie1702

naturally wrote: »

Chillis I just can't get anything else to compare to using fresh ones

I buy fresh chillies and then freeze them - Use them straight from the freezer and taste just as good as if they're fresh! Also means that there won't be mouldy chillies in the bottom of the fridge if you only use one or two out of the pack

Lois_and_CK

squeekymoo wrote: »

I buy bunch of corriander from the asian grocers and put the whole bunch straight in the freezer - just chop from frozen - the stalks go into sous, chilli and curry at the begining and the leaves can be crumbled rather than choping from frozen towards the end of cooking

Do other herbs freeze well? I have lots of basil at the moment and don't need to use it.

thriftlady_2

naturally wrote: »

I mused on a post on this thread (at least I hope it was this thread) which said cheap tinned tomatoes are not all tomato but contain sugar and salt...

This surprised me too, thanks for clearing it up.

I'm always surprised by the amount of people who don't realise what is in the food they buy. It's hardly rocket science -you just need to look at the label.