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

MoaningMyrtle

Make mash with hot milk instead of cold and it is lovely and fluffy.

Katyroo62

I grate carrot into shephards pie and a tin of baked beans into shepherds pie is delicious. (both are a cheap way to to bulk up the meal too)

When making chilli, I always put a spoonful or 2 of soya mince. It gives it a really nice texture.

elf06

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi elf,

Mine is to always add mustard to cheese sauce....brings out the cheese flavour resulting in needing less cheese so moneysaving as well as tasty.

This earlier thread has lots more tips that should interest you:

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

I'll merge this thread with it once you've had more input to keep the replies together.

Pink

Ah missed the earlier thread but will deff go have a looky

I used to work as a chef (years ago now) and we always did our cheese sauce like this - I have continued it and now think it tastes bland without!!

jcr16

i've prob got a few that i do without thinking. but the ones i can think of from top of head is

i always add mustard to cheese sauce when i'm making it. a teaspoon of brown sauce and tomato kethcup to mince and onions gives it a really nice little sweetness. or worchester sauce to mince dishes. realy brings out the flavour.

when i make a pizza i always brush the base with oil then brush over tomato ketchup. gives it a sweeter taste and the oil keeps it really moist. and the cheese on top is always grated very strong cheese mixed with mozzarella. the is devine.

whenever i make a tuna pasta bake i bash up a pack of ready salted crisp and sprinkle over the top then add a layer of grated cheese. the crisps give the cheese a really nice crispy top. it is completly scrummy.

Whenever i make sausage rolls, i always brush the puff pastry with a beaten egg and then sprinkle with a strong grated cheese. makes for the most amazing sausage roll's. once you've eaten them with cheese your not want them without.

and when i make savory pastry always use equal qty of lard to butter. give the pastry a really melt in mouth texture and home made pies are completely divine. never a shop made one will ever do again. and the pastry has to be made by hand as for some reason it just makes a better pastry, imo.

meritaten

when I make roasted veg I always sprinkle over a teaspoon or so of sugar as well as salt and pepper! this really helps with the caremelising of the veg and also brings out the sweetness of them.
I do the bit of mustard in cheese sauce too!
I always add sugar, and a shake of vinegar, to curries and a dash of worstershire sauce - then finish off with a couple of teaspoons of mango chutney.

squashy

Nutmeg! Adds a sweet spicyness to cheese and meat, for example in a white sauce or in bolognese, or over cabbage. Must be freshly grated though.

EstherH

SUESMITH wrote: »

a slug of milk into most meat dishes is lovely - a Norwegian friend told me that and it works - especially with mince

Thanks for that, I'm going to try it.

Mine is worcester sauce, tomato ketchup and 3 oxo cubes in shepherds pie. I know that's probably way too much salt with the oxo, but everybody loves it.

Swan_2

chopped up lime pickle stirred into mayo, it's wonderful on wraps & sandwiches, & I'm eating a tuna & rice salad dressed with it right now, delicious

(MSG-free, check the labels) light or dark soy sauce instead of stock cubes, cuts out all the additives

must be more I can't recall right now :think:

pauleyc

When i make choc cake (just basic 4oz s/r flour, sugar, marge and 2 eggs) i mix the cocoa with water to a paste and then add that to mix, and the cake is always nice and moist

seabright

Lemon juice is my secret ingredient.

When you have a taste of whatever you are cooking and thing it needs "something" but don't know what that something is, add a bit of lemon juice.

Works for sweet or savoury dishes.