Share with me you culinary secrets!

[Notasbigasithink]

I'm currently making spagbol and everyone whoever tries it always comments on how tasty it is! They can never put their finger on it but my secret ingredient is adding about a teaspoon (heaped!) of brown sugar!
I wait until nobody is around to witness this and have been doing it for years without being rumbled!
What do you add to standard, everyday meals to help liven them up?

I add ketcap manis to bolognese

@ReturnToGym Also that layer of potatoes meet filling is so good. It's too hot for cottage pie but I quire fancy one

I’ve done this for years, just a small amount and the heat makes them sweeter.

I add msg to most things, it does improve savoury flavours.

That’s Marcella Hazan tomato butter sauce and it’s a classic for a reason - I usually blitz the onion into the sauce though to save waste

This is why it is a culinary secret. Once it is served on the plate, no-one can tell the difference and it saves the hassle of using the oven etc.

Thank you! It avoids the fiddling around with putting it into one dish but there is still crispy potato (albeit not as delicious as with cheese in oven).

The secret is it’s not a pie.

It’s a pie lie.

Oh my.

😂😂😂

I'm not a great cook and I hate cooking but my two like my lasagna because I put bacon in it but no white sauce.

My DF always put the rind of parmesan in his chilli. It was gorgeous!

Cheese or white sauce. Make it from scratch. Sautéed veggies eg mushrooms can be a lovely side dish or addition.

I put a pinch of sugar in my tomato sauce so that makes sense. I'm not a fan of mince meat but it's the same type thing.

Are these really secrets though?

Here is mine: If you cook food you can eat it warm. To make it even faster I use an oven and not a fire.
Sometimes if I want a quick snack I just peel a banana and eat it.

Am I the only one who understands that you're saving time by not having to assemble everything and put it in the oven for another 20-30 minutes. You still want crispy mash so 5 minutes under the grill does what would take longer in the oven.

I see other people understand as well

Sorry Overnight, like others I’m wondering if you’ve overcomplicated something simple? No need to use the oven at all for cottage pie: braise mince on the hob, boil potatoes on the hob, mix into mash potatoes keeping on a low heat, while piping hot, put mince and then potatoes into ovenproof dish. Fork potatoes, add cheese and pop under the grill for 10 mins.

The complication of spreading out potatoes on a dish, forking grilling and then transferring to a plate with the mince doesn’t save any time?

Anyway, I absolutely second the tip of brown sugar in spaghetti bol. And balsamic vinegar and sugar in chilli-delish

My roast potatoes always get lots of praise. I par boil them for a good 10 mins and use beef lard that is already very very hot in the oven. And they must be spread out on a pirex dish. A non stick tray just doesn’t cut it

@SqueakyFromme
I wants that recipe. Sounds amazing! Can you please share a link ?

Exactly! Cuts down the cooking time. Your explanation is much better.

When I make a coleslaw, I use a mix of mayonnaise, plain yogurt and Dijon mustard with a little water and salt and pepper for the dressing

Always use twice as much cream and/or butter and/or salt than you think you need. That carries me through for pretty much any dish.

Oh, and cheese too. Although not necessarily in the same dishes.

This is why you add carrot to spaghetti Bolognese, to add sweetness. No need for extra sugar

We quite like an Old El Paso taco kit but instead of adding water to the seasoning we use a tin of chopped tomatoes, taste and consistency is so much better!

When making a batch of couscous, add a teaspoon of Kucharek vegetable seasoning to give it some flavour.

Don't bother making a roux for white or
or cheese sauce just wang the butter, flour and milk all in together and whisk like mad. Makes more sense than making something just to unmake it again.

Grated carrots add sweetness as well