Tell me your easy ways to make simple meals feel a bit fancier

[GemmeFatale]

For example I never peel potatoes for mash and instead chuck some robust leafy greens into the same pan for the last few minutes of cooking, drain, add plenty of cheese, milk and pepper before roughly mashing. Tastes better, looks like I’ve made some extra effort but it’s actually easier and is perfect with things like sausages or pork for a quick meal I don’t have to think about.

Top a shop-bought margarita with Parma ham and rocket.
Add onions, chunks of apple and dried sage to toad in the hole.

Put breadcrumbs and ground nutmeg on the top of macaroni cheese. Occasionally I add tinned crab!

Fresh herbs elevate so many dishes and make salads taste even fresher.

Use proper plates if you don't already! Pasta is always so much nicer from a big pasta bowl. 🤣

@Ricekrispie22 fab. I’m going to try all three (four if we count the crab).

I'm another fan of fresh herbs

pomegranate seeds and/or crushed pistachios on everything

[perhaps slightly tongue in cheek, but it looks lovely....]

And pine nuts

Add on sides. So garlic bread and a quick bowl of salad looks like so much more effort than Spag Bol, but can be done in less time than it takes to boil the pasta.

Set the table, put out glasses and a water jug. It only takes a couple of minutes but it feels like a proper sit down meal rather that just refuelling.

My 8yo Nephew commented that he liked coming to my house as we had proper meals...He'd eaten frozen pizza, frozen garlic bread, Some very basic salad and tub of decantered coleslaw!

I think its the French who say "The first bite is with the eyes"

I agree, it's all about the sides.
I would never serve chilli and rice on it's own, we would put tortilla chips, guacamole sour cream and salsa with it.
For mash, I add flavours that go with whatever I'm serving it with, so for roast beef, I mash horseradish into the potatoes. For cod, I might mash in a small jar of tartare sauce or some parsley.
Fresh mint goes beautifully in a lot of salads and salsas.

Nothing to add but I love these ideas!

When serving Italian dishes put a chunk of parmesan and a micro grater on the table.

Sift icing sugar over desserts such as apple cake for an instant uplift look

I like adding truffle oil spray (c.£1) to anything with mushrooms.

Or add a few re-hydrated porcini mushrooms.
Drained anchovies add a wonderful depth of flavour to stews, & don't make it taste fishy.

Always have good salt and pepper grinders. People also get v excited if I fill my salt grinder with pink Himalayan rock salt and multicoloured peppercorns. Even if both come from home bargains!

When making something as simple as fish, chips and mushy peas (birddseye battered fish type things and beef dripping chips - both from the freezer section). Serve with nice tartare sauce and lemon segments. Always makes the food taste better in my head.😂

@AtleastitsnotMonday and @Snog i do coriander on curries and things like laksa. What other fresh herbs do you use and on what sort of dishes?

@Chottie love a bit of Pasta with the parmesan theatre at the table!

We always eat at the table with proper plates unless it’s a bbq or picnic (because I’m lazy and a food only at the table rule makes for easier cleaning). Personally I love condiments but husband hates them all apparently (I think this is from his childhood as his parents have this whole thing about condiments make things all taste the same).

@handbagsatdawn33 I’m going to try both of those as I love mushrooms and have never tried anchovies.

I use a mould for rice to make it sit in a rounded mound. It used to be a little food pot when the kids were tiny, now it's a metal cake thingy (a dariole??) even prettier if you put some coriander in the bottom first.
They calll it rice turret

@GemmeFatale we use parsley on loads of dishes - meat, fish, pasta

Basil on tomato based pasta dishes and on open sandwiches, in salads

Thyme in stews or tray bakes

Oregano in chicken tray bakes

Tarragon in pork stroganoff

Dill with baked cod

My favourite flavour at the moment is chipotle - I use the paste in stews, and have chipotle ketchup and chipotle mayo.

I think it's a Mexican flavour so good for Mexican dishes but also elevates steak and chips!

Fresh herbs in all salads. Grated nutmeg in white sauces.

A choice of condiments like black olive tapenade, spicy mango chutney or mustard to go with cheese on toast!

But in general I think it's really the quality of ingredients that matters, and that generally involves paying more. Rubbery pre-sliced mild cheddar, cheap white sliced bread, margarine and some pale, watery "salad" (ha) tomatoes on the side? No thanks. A couple of lovely French cheeses, some fantastic sourdough, proper butter, and some ripe vine tomatoes made into a basic salad with chopped parsley and a nice citrusy salad dressing on top? Yum. So "a simple bread and cheese lunch" could mean such different things, but the second would be quite a bit more expensive even if very little more effort.

I also agree with PPs that presentation definitely makes a difference.

Do nice serving dishes count?

Love this thread. Haven't much to add but I have little copper pans that I serve veg placed on the dinner table.

Things like adding saffron or turmeric into plain boiled rice while cooking.

When eating chicken salad / chicken sandwiches I like to add Cajun spice into mayo or sweet chilli into mayo to flavour it.

Hoping for more tips thank you.

Also I tend to buy lots of wooden skewers in the summer and use them all year for chicken and veg now or Cajun skewers. Makes a boring chicken fillet look like you've made an effort

Decant houmous into a bowl, then add a dollop of pesto, some extra virgin olive oil and black pepper. It looks nice!

Similarly, chop up some cashews and add to the top of a bowl Of mango chutney with a sprinkling of chopped coriander to finish. Nice with mini poppadoms!

Add finely sliced red cabbage to shop bought coleslaw.

A wedge of lime on curries. Tiny bits of mild raw chillies and coriander leaf too.
Fresh parsley chopped and stirred through mash or chopped and dumped on top of anything, I love the stuff!

A small sprig of mint (2-3 leaves) dropped on top of a glass of water.

Lemon zest on top of puddings just before serving