What are your secret ingredients?

Earrings

Caftans!

Gin and regret!

I add Celtic salt to my goat milk latte.

Fresh rosemary in everything

fish sauce? no way that tastes good!

puke!

R6, it's basically the same idea as adding anchovies (a common Italian secret).

Sequined Jorts

jism

Prunes!

cum, hopefully from more than one source,

Beer, specifically Corone Light for Chili and Pasta sauce.

Brownies, replace the oil with mashed bananas add sliced almonds and 1 tsp of dried orange peel

Pineapple Upside-down Cake. Add macadamia nuts and toasted coconut flakes to the bottom of the pan, then arrange the pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on top, add your brown sugar and butter then batter . Bake and allow to cook completely before upending the pan on a serving plate. Drizzle 2 to 3 tbsp of Spiced Captain Morgan on top and serve.

Valentina hot sauce. It just has so much more depth and flavor than other hot sauces.

Ground glass

Celery salt.

R14, who doesn't love a little ground glass in their cereal?

R14. - Mrs Patsy Ramsey

Love, OP. My secret ingredient is good old love.

I use fish sauce too, along with soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce to add umami to stews, soups, gravies.

Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning in many savory dishes. Adds depth without too much heat.

Honey!

R19 knows the way!

Red Boat for the win.

Turkish pepper paste (biber salşaci)! Add it to goulash to impress your central European friends. Make a simple stew of eggplant and lamb, onions and garlic, cumin and stock. A couple of tablespoons added towards the end of cooking results in something extraordinary.

Browning tomato paste - I thought you just dumped the shit in the pot. Nope, it needs to be browned and then it delivers tang and depth..

My newest discovery is tempering my eggs to mix in with cream sauces. Should you want to do three things at once, add hotter liquid as you whisk eggs while keeping the bowl in one place. It delivers, but it’s messy.

A splash or two of Cholula green pepper sauce into anything with eggs and cheese (a scramble or a frittata)

For sauces / salad dressings / anything unctuous and savory - add soy sauce for umami (obv, cut salt)

Add crushed red pepper or cayenne to give heat or black or white pepper

Cinnamon, a dash, to spaghetti sauce

Accent! (msg) to things that need a punch where soy is too obvious/dark

ACV in certain sauces/salads - brings up the acid and sweetness

A few small dabs of anchovy paste in various locations on homemade pizza.

Comes in a tube at the grocery store.

I add a stick of butter and a bit of bacon grease to a stock pot of split pea soup

Why not just throw a scant handful of split peas into a pot of butter and bacon fat?

[quote] Turkish pepper paste (biber salşaci)

Is that the same thing as ajvar or the Bulgarian lyutenitsa?

Black lime powder.

Old Bay.

I add an apple and black garlic to my lasagne sauce

When I'm making homemade mac and cheese I include crumbled feta with the other cheeses. I also use a sprinkle of nutmeg in the cheese sauce.

For salsa Macha, this recipe plus a cup of dried shrimp (blitzed in a food processor).

Adding a heaping teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa and a spolsh of maple syrup to chill. Both add richness and depth of flavour.

Espresso Powder in ANY baked good with chocolate-

Add a tablespoon of molasses to chocolate chip cookies

NUTMEG in he ricotta mixture for lasagne-- It takes it to the next level.

R36, yes! Espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor!

I add a generous amount of cinnamon to my fabulous homemade Lasagana with Roasted Eggplant and Marinara Sauce- there is also a lot of fresh basil in it but that is not a secret ingredient.

Tannis root.

Dry Mustard

Similar to fish sauce, a bit of miso adds a nice flavor.

MSG.

Italians have a version of fish sauce; it's called coloratura. I bought some a couple of years ago when I was there. You don't use it with abandon like SE Asian fish sauce. It's expensive. But using fish sauce instead of anchovies in pasta sauce is totally legitimate.

Maggi seasoning. Great stuff.

Za'atar. A Middle Easter herb blend (but also the name of an herb). Here's the recipe use, but when to Morocco, I bought some dried za'atar, the herb. It's a type of wild oregano. I add it to the recipe I posted because I have it, but it's not necessary.

My chocolate chip cookies are excellent. I break up two bars of dark chocolate with sea salt Lindt instead of using chocolate chips. I also toast the walnuts in the oven for five minutes to make them more flavorful.

White pepper.

SALT!

Monosodium glutamate

Angostura Bitters.

I love fish sauce

Marjoram.

Olive oil.

Ground fennel.

‘Special’ wild mushrooms if I’m cooking for other people.

I add just a smidgen of vanilla to my apple pie filling.

Thanks, R26, for the tips. One question, what is ACV?

My contribution:

Worcestershire sauce in soups and stews.

R31 - oh yeah - my partner would not make any seafood without Old Bay. Refused. People are evangelical about it. I don't make enough seafood to know the difference, but Old Bay definitely has a cult following.

I don't know if you can use it in other things?

Less salt and fat/oil, more garlic and often more herbs.

"Pissin' Bob's Secret Sauce!"

Apple Cider Vinegar, R53.

R36 here. Espresso Powder is everything.

And absolutely agree with Minnie at R39- Tannis Root is a staple.

I like adding nduja to arrabbiata.

A little MSG for vegetable dishes, Freshly ground pepper, and fresh basil make a big difference.

Cheddar cheese baked within the pie crust (for apple pie).

Old Bay is great on eggs, in soups, and sprinkled on cream cheese.

The addition of XO sauce to any seafood soup/stew.

Dash of Worcestershire sauce. And onions.

I’ve been tempering since I was 10.

Liquid smoke and smoked Canadian bacon. I add these to pasta dishes, seafood stew, homemade chicken pot pies. It adds a delicious, delectable, delightful dimension to my cooking!

"Cooking with Vegemite, the Tastemaker!"

Fish sauce and anchovies are disgusting. They aren’t “umami.” They stink.

Marmite for beef or mushroom dishes. Nutmeg and/or mace for cheese and mushroom dishes. Anchovy paste for all sorts oof savory dishes. Sweet and or Hot Hungarian Paprika for nearly everything.

R68, aren't you precious?

Have you ever eaten at an Italian restaurant?

R70 - Yes, R68 loves Olive Garden and filet-o-fish at McDonalds. No anchovies there buster!

I have a feeling R68 still buys bags of chicken nuggets and crinkle fries from the grocery freezer. His special sauce of mayo mixed with ketchup is legendary.

Always add a splash of vodka to everything. Nobody ever knows, and everyone ends up having a wonderful time!

Shpeschal ingreediensh!

Cum!

so many home cooks make the same mistake - salt - add salt - add enough - it's a reactant in cooking, it moves liquids, allows searing, heightens other flavors DURING cooking.. So many think - well don't add too much, you can always add it later - no you can't. Adding it later just makes things taste salty, great for French fries and popcorn, but other than that it is needed during cooking in a greater amount than you think.

I just added a spoonful of espresso powder to my gumbo because I didn't get the roux dark enough.

It's a secret!

I’m a sodium restricted sad sack.

1 T of corn starch and 1 T of baking soda in marinades makes all the difference.

Artichoke and dill hummus instead of muracle whip in runa salad..

This thread will end in tears.

Bacon grease

Chicken bouillon

I add mughal garam masala to my oatmeal and currant cookies.

[quote] This thread will end in tears.

and just what are you suggesting?

R84, that's what anchovies are for.

It ain't the same thing.

Teaspoon of ranch dressing in scrambled eggs and mac and cheese

R78, go on Penzey's website. They have some fantastic blends of herbs and spices. I rarely use salt because I don't miss it. Plus Penzey's is totally anti MAGA/Trump. They deserve our support.

Crazy idea.

Blend and combine your own herbs and spices instead of buying premade mixes, which are never a fresh.

Penzeys (the correct name) is an excellent general source for a lot of great products YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER IN MANY WAYS YOURSELF.

You know. Like a real home cook and adult.

Can I show you on the doll?

I'm a big fan of Star Anise. Especially in any kind of poached fruit, like pears or quince. It's also quite a decorative spice.

My pussy!

R86, interesting! I've never heard of that one before.

Add bottled dressing to your food!