I love the idea of a recipe having a secret ingredient. When the girls were little, I would steal away to the corner of the kitchen to add a secret ingredient (sugar) to my magic hiccup potion (water). My friend Andras puts a shot of bourbon in his scrambled eggs. My old co-worker Myles adds a spoonful of peanut butter to his chili. (Maybe, using that trick, Andy would’ve taken home a blue ribbon in the chili off?) Andy’s dad used to make burgers on the grill (a recipe that has come to be known as “The Dadoo Special”) and we’re still trying to figure out what the heck he put in those patties. But I’m curious: What’s your secret ingredient? What have I not been adding to my spaghetti sauces, stews, soups, chilis, eggs, pies, omelets, cakes, quesadillas, mashed potatoes, beans, roast chickens, that I should have been adding all along?
My mom used to use the dried onion mix (from Lipton) in her burgers and I swear it adds something you just can’t get otherwise.
A poached egg on top of simple veggie pasta with parmesan is amazing. It creates a velvety sauce that feels insanely rich without a ton of cream or butter! I also love chevre in tomato sauces (or just about anything) and my boyfriend puts nutritional yeast on top of popcorn. So good!
Sour cream in the pancake batter (courtesy of Cooks Illustrated)
Apple cider in pretty much any quick bread recipe. Lemon zest in pretty much any thing with berries.
Worcester in pretty much any stew or savory sauce.
These are awesome! Thanks, Jenny for this great prompt.
I love these comments! And scrolling through, I’m starting to think that someone should write a whole book on secret things to put into scrambled eggs. Years ago, I was at a brunch at a friend’s mother’s house, and she made this huge pan of scrambled eggs. And I like scrambled eggs, but these? Hands down, the best I had ever had. Her secret was a huge dallop of mayo in the mix. And now it’s mine too.
Huh – I find myself throwing wine into a lot of recipes when it isn’t exactly called for….I wonder what that means?
I just discovered your blog through Luisa from the Wednesday Chef. As a food blogger with kids and all that involves I was curious. And so I happened upon this post where you ask for a recipe with a secret ingredient. On my second to last post I gave just that title to the pulled pork I made. Pulled pork with a secret ingredient… Glad I found you. Am enjoying reading you and am off to read more.
Freshly grated nutmeg in pancake batter is my husband’s trick.
I got some nutmeg from Penzey’s spices and it came with a little tip card that mentioned nutmeg compliments cheesy flavors. Ever since then I have grated the tiniest little bit into my mac & cheese or cheesy scrambled eggs, and it really kicks up the flavor without being noticeable.
I also finely grate an apple and use that instead of applesauce/oil in my carrot cake. It compliments the sweetness of the carrot, but doesn’t make the cake taste like apples.
Fresh vanilla bean in my pie crust:) Great post!
I second a bit of sour cream, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, mascarpone or mayo in scrambled eggs. Anything with a bit of fat & creaminess, really.
I add a load of Angostura bitters to my jambalaya. Trust me on that one… it makes the best you’ll ever eat!
I add cauliflower to the potato’s when I boil them and then mash them all together. Your mashed potatos are fluffy and healthy.
I also add green peas to my guacamole; keeps the green colour and you can’t taste them.
I blend my cottage cheese to the texture of ricotta and use it in lasagnas and pasta dishes. Way more fibre.
I use unsweetened apple sauce in place of oil in baked goods.
Grated brocolli stems to pasta sauce help thicken it and you can’t taste them!
I hide food WHENEVER I can to make it healthier!
One tablespoon of molasses to pumpkin pie, as shared by my mom’s “hairdresser” years and years ago.
I add a splash of vinegar to chicken soup stock…it supposedly helps to release the vitamins from the bones!
Any vinegar or citrus juice to almost anything… Orange juice in eggs, red wine vinegar in pasta salad & tzazitki, balsamic vinegar loves soy sauce for Asian dipping… It’s adds a happy zing!
I have a few, I guess I like my food zingy:
A dash of vinegar (red wine, sherry or champagne) to finish most soups
A dash of Worcestershire sauce (or Pickapeppa, if you can find it) in the tuna salad
A bit of ground cardamom in the applesauce
And truffle salt on almost anything — especially scrambled eggs!
Mayonnaise! – Scrambled eggs are amazing with a blob, mixed through, as is mashed potato, particularly if the mayo is home made!
I seem to add pesto to a lot of things — storebought tomato/pizza sauce, eggs (scrambled, quiche, omelettes). A dash of dijon mustard to cheese sauce. A glug of Bailey’s to apple pie, or to chocolate ganache. (Other liqueurs that are nice in ganache include frangelico/amaretto, any orange liqueur, raspberry liqueur, kahlua… Just pick one that complements whatever you’re putting the ganache in/on.) Great post!
I put sugar in my marinara sauce. Sweetens it up and cuts the acidity of the tomatoes.
a few shakes of cinnamon and a splash or two of red wine in my chili!
A splash of soy sauce in my lentil soup instead of chorizo (when going for the vegan option)!
Add a little curry to your creamy Mac and Cheese for a different and delicious grown up treat.
1. pinch of dried sage in egg salad
2. basil in chocolate chip cookies
3. grand marnier in french toast soaking liquid
4. actually, come to think of it, grand marnier in tirami su instead of rum; hold the espresso
5. one single dash of classic red Tabasco to basic vinaigrette
Thanks to you, I put smoked paprika in just about everything I can get away with. Even my Manhattans. It’s the perfectly mysterious special something. Oh, and maple on (cooked) carrots; makes it smell like Grandma’s.