...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...

Heinz vegetable soup to my mums Corned Beef hash ( recently introduced it to southern DP+ his friend s who scoffed at the idea ... and wolfed it down at the end) fucking Heinz .. genius

A generous sprinkling of semolina in the bottom of the pie dish, under the crust, to stop the crust getting soggy. Dh taught me this. I didn't even know what semolina was!

Half a teaspoon of mustard powder emulsifies the gravy beautifully. Add it when you put the flour in.

Tin of ale in the slow cooked beef stew makes the most delicious gravy. You don't really need to add anything additional! The People on the Internet say that Speckled Hen is best. My dh prefers Guinness but I find the flavour too bitter.

This is teaching me not to be such a judgy pants about people buying a can of ale in the corner shop at 7am.

Either a cube of chocolate or teaspoon of jam in tomato dishes re acidity

Lea and perrins for most savoury things

Splash or three if red wine in bolognaise, chili , gravy etc

Black currant jam, garlic and wine or sherry mixed up poured over pork or gammon half an hour before end of cooking time makes amazing glaze and then use the juices to make a lovely fruity gravy

A couple of drops of Pernod in cooked carrots, makes them extra carroty somehow!
Milk in Bolognese as PP.
Nutmeg in spinach

Ham in coke is great!!!

It's doesn't sweeten it, it just makes it so tender. It just falls apart.

DN's who can be fussy about anything not chicken demolish it.

I use Worcestershire sauce in casserole/stew/cottage pie type stuff, as well as in my bolognese sauce,but not the basic tomato sauce as I sometimes serve that to vegetarians.

I've seen a Martha Stewart recipe somewhere for a vegetarian version of Worcestershire sauce, which I might try out.

I also add mushroom ketchup, which is quite liquid despite being a ketchup. It seems to add a meaty flavour without tasting of mushrooms. Even my DCs, who hate mushrooms, don't mind it.

Like others on here, a dash of sugar in the tomato based sauces to mellow the acidity, a bit of cocoa for richness.

I also like roasting tomatoes with a bit of pesto on top.

Vegan "Worcestershire" Sauce

Balsamic vinegar in tomato dishes counteracts the acidity well better than sugar.

Tin of Heinz oxtail soup in beef stew