"Secret ingredients" thar make a good dish a great dish

[PrincessHoneysuckle]

I've discovered recently that very finely chopped cooked smoked bacon really is a game changer in lasagne.I add it to the ragu.Tastes Amazing.

Anyone else got any?

Spoon of full fat plain yoghurt or a small mashed potato in a sponge cake and wrap in foil as soon as it's out of the oven to keep it moist.

What? Where? In cakes & biscuits??

Ghee instead of butter. So easy to make, and so much more buttery tasting.

Mayo with a few drops of chipotle Tabasco mixed in. Zingtastic!

A tiny splash of cardamom oil adds depth to any curry.

Mines is probably boring but I put a veg stock cube in when boiling cabbage.
It gives it great flavour and you don't have the lingering smell around the kitchen.

A bit of coffee in any chocolate baked stuff (cakes, brownies etc) really brings out the richness. I always make a paste with the cocoa powder using hot coffee then add to the batter. Let it cool a bit so you don't scramble the egg!

Definitely a splash of msg (I use Maggi liquid seasoning).

Any kind of mustard in cheese sauce, especially for cauliflower cheese. Breadcrumbs and those crispy hot dog onions make a nice topping too.

A pinch of bicarb can help with tangy tinned tomatoes.

Mayo instead of egg for coating things (e.g. homemade chicken nuggets) just brush it on.

Fried egg on top of noodles and a drizzle of hot sauce. Peanuts too if you have them.

Must try the egg in mash!

Parmesan rinds in risottos, minestrone etc.
Salt and coffee in chocolate cake, brownies
Pinch of sugar in tomato things
Butter in everything

1 star anise in beef casserole, gives a subtle aniseed flavour.

Dash of soy sauce and ketchup in slow cooked bolognese.

I don’t eat meat any more, but a squeeze of lemon juice over a steak, or a mix of grated lemon rind and chopped garlic and rosemary over beef stew really adds another dimension.

Preserved lemon in (almost) everything.

I wonder if it's Old Bay seasoning?

Lemon juice in lentil soup, added before serving.
A big slug of oyster sauce in stews, chilli, bolognese, anything beefy in a gravy. Makes such a difference and adds a depth of flavour.
A splash of cream in bolognese.
A square of, 85% and above, chocolate in chilli.
Marmite in cottage pie.
Definitely sesame oil in fried rice, but not too much or it's overpowering!
And I add a chicken stock cube when I'm cooking noodles!

Balsamic glaze in dishes with lots of tomato
a tablespoon of pickle or chutney in a beef stew (Branston is nice)
a tin of anchovies, including the oil, to roast Mediterranean veg

A little mustard and soy sauce added to gravy - it's best added when the water is boiling with the gravy granules, before adding the meat juices as the mustard sometimes isn't absorbed and you need to strain the gravy at the end. But it makes gravy taste amazing

Henderson's Relish in stews/spag bol etc.

Grated nutmeg in cheese sauce , in mashed potatoes , creamed spinach ( etc )
You do need whole nutmegs and a special grater though , mine is ancient

We were on holiday in the Caribbean recently , I had vanilla ice cream one day , served with grated nutmeg on top … fabulous

A spoonful of wholegrain mustard in Yorkshire pudding batter.

For the tastiest baked potatoes...

Rub sunflower oil and salt all over the skins before putting in the oven to bake.

Once baked, turn off oven and turn on the grill. Cut the potatoes in half, scoop the potato out of the skins into a bowl, roughly mix the potato with butter and grated cheese using a fork. Spoon potato back into their skins and top with grated cheese and some ground black pepper. Put under grill until cheese is bubbling. Serve with your desired filling/topping (or eat as it is).

Not a healthy baked potato, obvs, but omg its SO tasty!

Yes, just a dollop. Trust me

I made a chicken and sweet potato stew with ginger. Poured in a glug of soy at the end and although hesitant to do it, it was a game changer.

very few things are not improved with salt and butter

A whole pack of coriander (stalks included) in vegetables for couscous.

A splash of balsamic vinegar in a tomato sauce (also sugar, garlic, mixed herbs and a tiny amount of chilli)

Pancetta is a traditional ingredient in lasagne, so do you add bacon as well ?

Splash of vinegar in your gravy (red wine for beef/lamb, cider with pork and white wine for chicken)

Anchovies stuffed into roast lamb (make little incisions and poke in with garlic and rosemary)