...to ask you for your simple or strange...

[Mollie85]

... additions to food to make an otherwise edible dish a culinary masterpiece?

Back story - on the phone to my dad lamenting that I can't get my gravy as thick and tasty as I remember it having been growing up. I always remembered the red Bisto jar on the worktop. Which yes, I use but add the juices, which is what I thought dad did...

"A dollop of Heinz".

That's the secret to the fantastic gravy... I was expecting tales of marrow or some random herb or spice... but no, tomato sauce

Yes I've just made a cup and dipped a three slice s of bread in it for my supper. Childhood in a cup...

Anyone got any other tips? My friend has just informed me that her mum told her she used to mix a raw egg into mash...

Seconding egg in mashed potato. Lea and Perrin's in almost anything savoury.

A bit of marmite in my veggy gravy always works.

Aromat - yellow pot found with the herbs and spices in supermarkets.
I use it in mash, on roast potatoes, on chicken skin before cooking etc. But the best ever is on cucumber and cheese sandwiches - which is how I discovered it, my DGD used to make me the sandwiches when I was little - I'd have lived on them!

@PumbletonWakeshaft paprika is one of the main ingredients in chili lol

Coffee in chocolate cake batter makes it so much more chocolatey

Aromat does make everything taste good it's true. I think it's mostly MSG.

With the egg in the mash, is that just the yolk?

1/2 to 1 teaspoon allspice in cottage pie mince

I also put marmite in any mice beef dish, and gravy, meat juices, cornflower, marmite.

A bit more than an addition, but my last minute store cupboard chickpea and tomato curry was tasting a bit meh and was transformed by half a tin of coconut milk. The teenagers yomped it down and didn't even complain much about the lack of meat.

Mustard in Mac & cheese.

Sugar and milk in bolognaise.

Spoonful of cranberry jelly in gravy for Sunday roast.

Crushed crisps on top of pasta bake.

I actually bought some MSG online once, made everything savory taste bloody amazing.

Umami rush is amazing with anything savoury too, like msg but without it

Neither unusual, but v. simple when putting a snack together:

Ginger and a pinch of salt on melon.
Cumin & salt mixed to dip hard-boiled eggs in.

A spoon of honey in curry helps bring out the taste.

Freshly ground black pepper on strawberries is lovely.

Oxo cube mixed with milk makes a good stock to braise sliced potato and onion for lovely Boulangere potatoes.

Costco do a 'Kirkland Signature Granulated California Garlic' I put this into everything savoury I make, I call it my secret ingredient!

Its not salt, but pure garlic, its amazing.

Marmite, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce can all add umami depth to a bland meat dish.

Lea & Perrins in meaty sauce, such as sausage casserole.

Chocolate (dark) and crushed juniper berries in venison stew.

Whole grain mustard in mash or carrots.

Nutmeg on rice pudding.

I'm of the firm belief that there are very few savoury dishes that can't be improved by adding smoked paprika!

For those adding sugar to tomato dishes - I've found that a little honey works just as well.

Cook pasta with a stock cube is my only vague tip

I also do the egg, butter and milk into mash makes it creamy. Heaven 🤤
Everyone compliments my mash 😀

Some of these will definitely be tried out

Has anyone ever tried that Coca Cola baked ham that everyone raved about a few years ago? Hosting Christmas this year so want to impress...

The ham in coke is going in my slow cooker tomorrow morning. It is lovely.

Dare I admit this - - but mint sauce and salad cream added to baked beans. Bloody lovely comfort food.

Coconut milk does improve anything.

But never buy low fat, it's not the same at all!

Perfect BBQ sauce (amazing if you run out)
Mix together 1 tea spoon mustard.
1 tea spoon brown sugar then add 1 table spoon tomato ketchup. Adjust to taste. I discovered this when I'd forgotten to buy BBQ sauce for a recipe don't know if that counts like the rest of the thread though..

Chilli flavouring mix
1 table spoon cocoa powder.
Half tea spoon tumeric
1 tea spoon garlic salt.
1 tea spoon paprika.
Tip of a tea spoon of chilli flakes or more to taste.
Half a tea spoon lemon juice.
Added to your sauce it's amazing