Secret ingredients - spill please!

[SilkStalkings]

I'll go first...
Italian tomato sauce / spagbol etc - add half a teasp of fennel seeds and a teasp of sugar. Really freshens up the flavour without tasting of Pernod. Also chorizo in anything beefy is a great addition, without being hot.

I'm specifically looking for something to liven up cottage pie but thought we could all pool our resources.

But warning, it's runny, not like tomato so do be careful tipping it in!

A blob of mayonnaise in the potato for fishcakes, gives them a gorgeous texture and taste.

Tablespoon ofmayo in the fish pie mix is delish

Will b trying some others of these

I second the mustard in cheese sauce. It makes it taste more savoury and cheesy.

Mashed potato - instead of adding milk or whatever, use single cream and boil it gently with a couple of garlic cloves, and add that to the boiled and mashed spuds. Makes the most luxurious mash. Also, after mashing, whip the mash with a wooden spoon, makes it light and very fluffy and silky. Never try to mash spuds in a food processor, it turns into disgusting glue.

Chopped up hard boiled egg in fishcakes, yum

Balsamic glaze is a good rich additive too, like balsamic vinegar but thicker.

Laxative chocolate in MIL's coco.

Placemarking...sorry.

Chicken or veg Oxo cube in cheese sauce instead of salt and pepper. And an egg too if the dish is going to be baked - makes it really substantial and stops it separating.

I add mustard powder to a lot of meat dishes. Also I always add my herbs and spices when I'm frying onions and garlic rather than at the end, the meat then absorbs more of the taste.

Mushroom soy sauce in anything involving beef.

I add a tiny amount of marmite to dishes that are made from beef (eg beef stew).

I think it adds a depth of flavour and as long as it's only a small amount used it does not taste like marmite at all.

Cheese sauce - second the mustard, or nutmeg (add at the end). Or, when you're melting the butter, add a teaspoon of cumin seeds. Yum!

My favourite secret ingredient is fresh lemon juice. Great with a bit of oil on green veg like spinach and kale, but also good with lentils and anything that needs a bit of zing.

A little bit of milk and sugar in anything with tinned tomatoes.

Agree with marmite in beefy dishes and gravies, and to whipping mashed potatoes.
Nutmeg in mashed potatoes is lovely too.

Creme Fraiche, chilli and lemon juice instead of white sauce for fish pie.

Breadcrumbs soaked in milk added to burgers and meatballs makes them much lighter.

I always stick a bay leaf in beef or tomato based dishes. Also if there's time, heat the milk for your cheese sauce and let a bay leaf, some peppercorns and a wedge of onion steep in it for 15 mins before use, strain before using.

Redcurrent jelly in beef stews and gravies.
Lime juice and cocoa in chilli.

Mango chutney (esp "Geeta's" brand) in gravy.

Anything beefy, add pickle/onion marmalade for a fab flavour!

roast potatoes cooked in lard
Reader, you may boak at the idea, but I always get tonnes of compliments for my roasties - super crisp and not in the slightest bit greasy. miles better than olive oil or goose fat.

an a spoonful of finely grated parmesan in home made burgers. doesn't taste cheesey, just adds depth.

Someone up thread said a blob of mayo in fichcakes ... I find tartare sauce is even yummier!

Ooh yes, parmesan in burgers, good one, helps bind them together too.

Mayo is also good for coating things before breadcrumbing and baking/frying, eg goujons, come up lovely and crispy.

Marking my place.
Apologies in advance if this is so obvious, but I always cook chicken in around 5cm of water, sprinkled with salt & pepper and cover with foil then remove the foil after x number of minutes depending on size etc, remove foil, let of brown and the liquor reduce slightly - this makes a lovley base to the gravy .
Always add red current jelly to gravy too.

A cheat for roast potatoes is to parboil them, drain, then shake with a tbsp flour in the saucepan with the lid on. Fluffs them up nicely. Also you can freeze them at that stage on a tray (then bag up later obv).

Cayenne pepper in everything - or specifically, in egg sandwiches and in cheese sauce.

A huge amount of cumin in chilli.

Cottage pie - chopped pickled walnuts.