Secret Ingredients

[Rockfish]

Secret Ingredients

I have always liked to experiment in cooking and once in a while something unusual seems to work out well and becomes a personal “secret ingredient”. Of course it is also a matter of personal taste. I am interested if anyone else has come up with some that they think work well.

For your basic Curry. - I like to add some standard commercial Chinese plum sauce. It adds some sweetness and tang which I like.

For both Meatloaf and Cerviche - I like to add some finely chopped water chestnuts. I like the crunch they add and the mild flavor does not overpower.

For Chilli - These are not mine and are rather well known but they work well. Add a bottle of good lager beer and melt in some dark high % cacao chocolate. I prefer a few pieces of Lindt Dark 90% Cacao Chocolate.

 

[mhbradley]

My mother always puts a product called Vegeta in her chicken/turkey gravy and soup...

I don't know what it is, but the product is far superior to your average chicken soup stock, such as by OXO.

It used to be harder to find, but now it seems that most groceries stores carry it. I remember when I used to have to go get it at the European deli down the street...

 

[fish stalker]

I looked at it awhile ago it has msg in it so I passed. I dunno why I get freaked out about msg I eat chinese food. The Polish deil beside Danielle's Patisserie on CookSt (or across street from Do It Center) has it if someone is looking.

I dunno if I have any secret ingredients I think fresh cracked pepper would be one. I just use the tellicherry one that comes in the grinder for 5 bucks from costco. Good pepper is soo much better then preground musty stuff.

 

[Sculpin]

Paprika!!!

I use it quite a bit in everything.

 

[Fishtank]

Paprika!!!

I use it quite a bit in everything.

If u like paprika alot you should try smoked paprika got for at a middle eastern store,real good stuff

 

[mhbradley]

I looked at it awhile ago it has msg in it so I passed. I dunno why I get freaked out about msg I eat chinese food. The Polish deil beside Danielle's Patisserie on CookSt (or across street from Do It Center) has it if someone is looking.

I dunno if I have any secret ingredients I think fresh cracked pepper would be one. I just use the tellicherry one that comes in the grinder for 5 bucks from costco. Good pepper is soo much better then preground musty stuff.

The Polish deil beside Danielle's Patisserie on CookSt (or across street from Do It Center) - That was the place!

 

[seadna]

My "secret" ingredients:
1) Smoked roma tomatoes - next time you have the smoke fired up, get a bunch of roma tomatoes. Cut them in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and liquidy portion. Put them in your smoker with the skin half down. Smoke for an hour or two. It's best if you can do this at around 200F. Take them out and let them cool down. The skin should now peel off easily just by squeezing them a bit on the skin side. Try not to lose any of the liquid while peeling. That stuff is gold. Put them into small tupperware containers and freeze. Add to any tomato sauces, chili or vegetable soup.

2) Finely diced/chopped smoked salmon. This is another way to get a nice smoke background flavor into chowders or seafood soups (like Ciopino)

3) Spicy V-8. This goes in most all my tomato sauces. Adds a kick and some vegetable.