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

flatmouse

Secret or not so secret?

As many others, english mustard in anything cheese (including bread)
Big spoon of dijon mustard in my gravy (thickens it slightly too)
Wine/worcestershire/dash lemon in gravy
(not so secret spread dijon mustard on pork chop half way thru cooking)
sherry in risottos
garlic in everything
spoon of tomato chutney in bolognaise

chrissie55

In stews, etc., a blob of miso (soya version of Marmite) or soya sauce
Mustard powder in with the cornflour when making gravy
Cooking apples or tamarind in curry for a fresh sharpness
White wine in stroganoff (when we can afford!)
A pinch of bi-carb (wonderful multi-useful & cheap essential!) in omelette mix makes it lighter
Any sauces we don't find good enough get 'lost' in stews, etc.,
Whole garlic cloves in (vege) mince - they taste much milder than crushed ones
Tins of soup get rinsed out with milk
With curries, sometimes we have mushrooms fried in the 'lardy' bit from a block of creamed coconut

clairelouise100

Sometimes I add some stuffing mix to my gravy, it helps thicken it a little and adds great flavour to it!

Triker

If you have a very watery stew or soup and want it really nicely thickened and can never get a lump free cornflour mix thing going, try using instant powdered mash potato, really make a difference and no lumps.:D

Reverbe

sunshinelover wrote: »

Homemade veg soup is not the same without a stick of celery

for an alternative try celery salt.. I use it in most all my soups now and it is easier than buying celery if you dont eat much of it it can get wasted..

Steel_2

Triker wrote: »

For tomato based sauces I add a real good glug of milk. Makes it stretch much further and mellows out the metallic tomato taste, especially if made with tinned toms.:D

When do you add the glug of milk? Towards the end or during the cooking?

Chris25

Gorwel wrote: »

. Same with my apple pies which I brush with milk and sprinkle liberally with brown sugar*
* I'm so mean I take the sachets from cafes where I've had coffee to use on pies!!

,

I do that too - each sachet tops exactly one batch of my rock cakes - no measuring

willis

I sometimes add finely chopped dried apricots to stuffing, it's delicious.

Androcles

My "Finds" have been: 1. that you can use Paxo stuffings in small quantities, so add three teaspoons to gravy to make sage and onion gravy for Pork or chicken, or stir some into mash with bacon and cabbage to brighten up bubble and squeak type dishes, or put three teaspoons in a microwavable egg cup with some boiling water, and cook on full for one minute to make a instant stuffing to go on a sandwich with chicken or stuff a single chicken breast,etc etc

2, Using Oats: to make a cholesterol buster, one smoked trout fillet, half an avocado, 25g of oats, a ring of red onion and a spoonful of Yoghurt - blitz in a miniblender - eat with toast, or "guacomoats" - half an avocado, medium tomato, slice of red onion, small chili, 20g oats and blitz and use as a dip.....

sheenaf

I am another one who uses a splash of cheap sherry to meat (red) and fruit (white sherry) and especially to French Onion Soup. I always also add finely chopped celery to FO soup. I also second the instant potato powder - sprinkled on, left for a minute or two and then stirred in - to thicken soups and stews. The only home grown veg we have left in the winter are leeks and potatoes and so we have many pots of Scottish style Leek & Potato Soup (i.e. not liquidised, with large chunks of potato and leek, no milk added) and I thicken this with potato powder - appox. half a packet in a HUGE pot.

I also use a lot of oatmeal to spin out spagbol, in bread recipes, crumble toppings and to coat fish instead of fish dressing. My best secret ingredient however, is my HM plum chutney and apple chutney. Two dessert spoonfuls of plum chutney and a dash of soy sauce = best ever stir fry sauce; Apple chutney spread on pork before grilling or roasting = delicious.