I love the idea of a recipe having a secret ingredient. When the girls were little, I would steal away to the corner of the kitchen to add a secret ingredient (sugar) to my magic hiccup potion (water). My friend Andras puts a shot of bourbon in his scrambled eggs. My old co-worker Myles adds a spoonful of peanut butter to his chili. (Maybe, using that trick, Andy wouldโve taken home a blue ribbon in theย chili off?) Andyโs dad used to make burgers on the grill (a recipe that has come to be known as โThe Dadoo Specialโ) and weโre still trying to figure out what the heck he put in those patties. But Iโm curious: Whatโs your secret ingredient? What have I not been adding to my spaghetti sauces, stews, soups, chilis, eggs, pies, omelets, cakes, quesadillas, mashed potatoes, beans, roast chickens, that I should have been adding all along?
cream cheese (especially chive!) in eggs.
katie โ thatโs my secret ingredient too! cream cheese in the eggs!
Worcestershire sauce (salsa, mac & cheese, carrot soupโฆ). Love it.
I use a splash of balsamic in my marinara sauce (or to trick out jarred sauce.)
I add a bit of garlic powder to scrambled eggs.
Oh- and cardamon for baking!
This may not be a secret, but horseradish in pot roast is amazing! (An entire small jar.) Really tames down over the long hours of cooking, and leaves the pot roast with just that little something you canโt quite place your finger on.
Also, chopped up mushrooms in burgers. They basically melt and give your burger a natural cheeseburger-y taste. (Idea from Jessica Seinfeld)
Okโฆ just thought of another one. My grandmother puts veggie seasoning on everything (just like she does- Worcestershire)โฆ SO good! And sheโs (and I) a big fan of garlic powder. I love fresh garlic, but Iโve found that some things (like breakfast potatoes) actually taste better with the powder! (and I couldnโt figure out how to replicate her perfect breakfast potatoes- until I realized the other secret (bacon drippings) :).
French toast batter made with organic eggs, organic (WHOLE) milk, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and a dash of brandy.
A dollop of sour cream in the scrambled eggs make them taste amazing. It is why I always keep it in my fridge now, sour cream seems to improve a number of things now that I think about it.
Another one I just thought of is panade (a slice of milk soaked bread all mashed together) and then crumbled into ground beef before you make hamburgers is magical.
I know this is a no brainer for most everyone, but i just recently realized how much a splash of โacidโ can really improve a dish. A squirt of lemon or vinegar to my favorite soups changes it in such a great way.
My mom puts Worcestershire in Tuna Salad.
Iโve always been a big fan of the chocolate in the chili. Even if it doesnโt actually do anything significant, it FEELS mysterious and sexy.
A pinch of garlic powder in scrambled eggs! Seriously, you gotta try it!
A stick of cinnamon in with the beans while they are cooking for black bean soup. Once in a while, a few grains of ground nutmeg in mashed potatoes; it has to be such a small amount that you can taste something, but not so much that you know that it is nutmeg. Great question. I love the black ops/secret agent feeling.
Cinnamon for spaghetti sauce, chili, enchiladas fillings!
Anchovies in tomato sauce and in meatballs. And for black beans and rice, sherry and balsamic at the end of cooking. (see Kempโs Black beans on Epicurious).
A little scoop of canned pumpkin in oatmeal (with cinnamon, of course, and a small pinch of cloves and ground ginger, if Iโm feeling up for it).
I am not sure what I am most excited about; discovering your blog or all of these no longer secret ingredients! I put butter in EVERYTHING, itโs not random or especially healthy but it tastes so good!
I LOVE using mascarpone cheeseโฆin brownies, in spaghetti sauce, in eggsโฆit makes things so divinely creamy and smooth and YUM and rich
Oh and natures seasoning. We live in the UK and so buy it in bulk when weโre over. Iโve got all our friends hooked!
I totally have a secret ingredient, and even call it that: Sweet Chili Sauce. The brand I find is โMae Ploy,โ and whatever brand you find, itโs probably in the Asian Foods section of your market. I put a dash into all my soups, stews, anything like that. http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Sweet-Chili-Sauce/dp/B00023T3C6
bacon grease! you can put it in anything and it tastes amazing. the ultimate secret ingredient
My kids love the broccoli with anchovies โ heat garlic in oil, add some choppied anchovie to the pan, add broccoli and a bit of water, cover until cooked for a few minutes, then fry uncovered and top with a bit of lemon. Anchovies add a nice flavor and no one knows what it is.
A splash of apple cider vinegar in chicken salad.
Recently, Iโve made simple homemade macaroni and cheese for quick, comforting dinners. When I make the cheese sauce, I use a good old cheddar but also add some grated gruyere which adds just a bit of sharpness to the sauce and keeps it from being too bland.