Secret Ingredients

[East Coast Hustle]

I have several. Little things I use in dishes for that little extra something that elevates a dish from good to remarkable. I'm gonna share a few of mine, since I believe that recipes should be open source and that excellence in cooking is determined primarily by technique and skill rather than creativity.

Smoked Sea Salt

Sometimes I want to add a smoky flavor to a dish. I don't have a smoker at hand, and by the time I've gotten around to finalizing a dinner special I usually don't have the time to smoke a protein anyway, as it takes several hours at the very least. Liquid Smoke has a flavor that is both overbearing and instantly recognizable as fraudulent. Smoked Sea Salt brings that smoky flavor in a controllable dosage and paired with something normally added to food anyway (salt) that helps to subtly blend the added flavor in rather than highlighting something that should be a background note. I also frequently add this to garlic mashed potatoes when using them as the starch for a beef or game dish, and almost invariably get a few "the customer wanted you to know these were the best mashed potatoes they've ever had" out of what would otherwise be an unremarkable and almost trite side dish.

Bonito Flakes

Essential for brothy soups. Seems obvious for seafood-based soups, but I also use it in much smaller amounts in beef and pork-based soups and stews for a hint of "umami" (I dislike the term but can't think of a better one myself). Not for use with creamy soups or tomato-based soups, IMO.

Coconut and Cane Vinegars

I've been using this stuff in everything lately, and not just savory dishes. It;s found it's way into some dessert experimentation lately, which is something I normally don't even do. But I love pickling things, and quick-pickling some sugar-laden tropical fruit in either of these sweeter and milder than normal vinegars makes a great basis or addition to many warmed-fruit desserts. I've been adding a splash of coconut vinegar to my Bananas Foster. The cane vinegar transforms a basic blood orange reduction into something you can't live without on top of a slice of cheesecake. I also use the coconut vinegar liberally in both my adobo and posole recipes. And either one is a great addition to ceviche.

Matamis Na Bao (Coconut Jam)

Basically, it's caramel sauce made from coconut cream instead of a dairy product. The dessert applications are numerous and obvious, and the stuff is delicious just smeared on some toast or a piece of fruit, but it's also quite useful in savory applications. Its high sugar content causes it to burn easily, so you generally want to use it in things that are either cooking at a lower heat (braising, poaching, slow-roasting) or us it in something that will be added towards the end of cooking. My current favorite uses for it are in barbecue sauce (the kind you baste on for a glaze at the very end of cooking) and as an ingredient in stir-fry dishes to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauce and give some body to the sauce without having to use any cornstarch.

[BADGE OF HONOR]

So far I've found the best secret ingredient per se is freshly ground whole spices.  Pre-ground spices tend to lose their potency over time, unless it's something totally overpowering like cloves or cayenne.  My only coffee grinder is specifically for grinding spices.  Oh, and toasting them beforehand can really transform the taste and aroma!  And yes it's more of a hassle than just spooning out a precise amount of powder, but eventually you get a feel for how much is enough.

Freshly ground nutmeg

Yes, it's mainly used in sweet dishes.  But nutmeg is actually quite spicy and not particularly sweet, and it can add an extra kick to lots of stuff.  It goes great with onion/potato type dishes, and it's mandatory for oatmeal in this household.  I actually have a wee grater specifically for this purpose that I inherited, it has a little compartment for the nut and everything.   

Freshly ground coriander
The difference between pre-ground and fresh ground coriander seeds is astronomical.  This stuff loses potency so fast it's just a waste to buy any pre-ground.  Coriander also responds especially well to toasting.

Freshly cracked black pepper

For fuck's sake if you don't want to grind anything else at least get a pepper mill.  Do it now.  There is absolutely no reason to buy a bottle of powdered pepper unless you're a complete moron who can't operate anything mechanical.

Lemon Juice

Sometimes a little acid is all you need to make something awesome.  I'm not fond of lemon flavored desserts, but lemon on chicken is like salt on potatoes.  Also lemon in garlic aioli, in hummus, on top of rice, in whatever bastard gin drink I've cobbled together...I basically always have a lemon on hand.

[Triple Zero]

Thanks for these!

I'm not a big fan of nutmeg myself, but my gf always goes on about how fresh ground nutmeg is soooo much better, so I might change my opinion once we get a nutmeg grinder device. Here, we traditionally sprinkle it over cauliflower and green beans, usually with a light cheese sauce. But this dish is probably the reason why I don't like nutmeg, so YMMV.

I should really try to find some smoked salt. Though I got a "smoking bag" from a friend a while ago, which I still need to use, it's a bag with woodflakes you can put into the oven and it will smoke whatever you put in the bag. Maybe I can dump some coarse salt into the bag when I use it, and harvest it myself

And thanks for the vinegar advice, I always like to have a couple of interesting types of vinegar around. As Badge said, sometimes (a lot of times, in fact) things just really need a littlebit of acid. And I like to have a bit more options than just lemon, lime or wine vinegar. I oughta check the asian supermarket nearby, their selection is huge, and they always have loads of interesting things.

Which brings me to those fish flakes, they probably have them. Are they very different from fish sauce/nam-pla?

And the coconut jam, sounds like something you can easily make yourself from a can of coconut milk?

[Richter]

I don't have many of these, but:

Saffron
Adds a certain depth to the flavor of foods, Ilack the vocabulary to describe.  My favorite use is in white rice when I'm going to be serving a seasoned chicken dish with.

Sazon
A Goya product, no one has ever been able to tell me exactly what is in it.  For spanish rice dishes, chilis, or empenada meat prep, or pork, it adds the flavor of goodold home hspanic cooking I've never been able toreplicate without.

Lime Juice
Add it to cheap salsa to get GREAT salsa
Use it instead of lemon juice in chicken.
Mix it with gin.

[Jasper]

ECH:  What woodchips do you normally use to smoke your salt? 

[Nast]

Which brings me to those fish flakes, they probably have them. Are they very different from fish sauce/nam-pla?

Bonito flakes come in different thicknesses. The thick shavings are steeped into stock, while the very thin shavings are sprinkled over food and eaten. They aren't very salty like nam pla, but they have a smoky savory flavor. Like fish bacon, really.

[Nast]

Also, on the subject of smoky things, I really like smoked paprika. It's awesome on deviled eggs, or in kale sausage soup.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

Achiote oil. Take a good handful of achiote (annatto) seeds and cover well with olive oil. Bring to a frothy bubble low boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes stirring often. Watch your color, if it burns it's ruined. Strain oil. It keeps well in a tightly sealed jar.

Adds a nutty flavor and great color to rice and meat.
 I will use this in place of saffron.

I got my seeds at the local Mexican grocery.

[East Coast Hustle]

ECH:  What woodchips do you normally use to smoke your salt? 

I use wood chips from the "I buy my smoked sea salt at the salt store" tree.

[Jasper]

I'll just experiment, then.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Sumac is a good spice.
It's good to pair with mint in Mediterranean veggie dishes.
It's a little tangy and citrusy, so it goes well with grilled foods too.

[LMNO]

Nam Pla - I use it in almost everything when I want a deeper savory taste.

Cumin - I toast and grind the seeds myself to add a dark, spicy but not hot flavor.

Anchovies - place one or two in a cold pan with oil, and gently heat until it melts and begins to smell nutty.  Starts a great base of flavor for italian and mediterranean foods.

[Suu]

Louisiana Hot Sauce.

[East Coast Hustle]

Louisiana Hot Sauce.

[Suu]