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.
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.
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?
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.
ECH: What woodchips do you normally use to smoke your salt?
Quote from: Triple Zero on April 10, 2010, 12:09:42 PM
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.
Also, on the subject of smoky things, I really like smoked paprika. It's awesome on deviled eggs, or in kale sausage soup.
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.
Quote from: Sigmatic on April 10, 2010, 08:51:34 PM
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.
:lol:
I'll just experiment, then.
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.
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.
Louisiana Hot Sauce.
:thanks:
toaster leavins, sopped off the counter with a butter wad on the back of a spoon
and for special occasions, a roach dropping rim around my martini glass. oh yeah.
Ok trying to add something to this thread, Piccalilly might be a good one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccalilly Dunno if American-style is very different, but judging from the description I am using the British variety.
It's great to use as a relish kind of thing with the other sauces on your hamburger. And to make the best mustard-honey dressing EVAR: 1 part mustard, 1 part honey, 1 part piccalilly, 1 part mayo, 1 part olive oil, 0.5 part sambal and a squirt of lemon juice to taste. Use in pasta salads.
Another one, none of these are really "secret", but they are things most people do not use: A jar of freeze dried chives, garlic and/or combination of that including spices. It's German called "Salat Kraüter", salad herbs. A spoonful of this stuff improves a LOT of things, and the flavour of garlic and chives is really preserved well when freeze-dried.
On that note, my secret to improve cheap black olives into more expensive-tasting ones: chop and marinade them in a mixture of olive oil, fresh garlic, the freeze dried stuff above, sambal, salt (to taste) and pepper. Possibly other things if it happens, too.
Quote from: Turdley Burgleson on April 13, 2010, 07:05:49 AM
a roach dropping rim around my martini glass. oh yeah.
I think my imagination is running on hyperdrive, because that quote is major :lmnuendo: to me.
Quote from: Triple Zero on April 13, 2010, 09:58:05 AM
Another one, none of these are really "secret", but they are things most people do not use: A jar of freeze dried chives, garlic and/or combination of that including spices. It's German called "Salat Kraüter", salad herbs. A spoonful of this stuff improves a LOT of things, and the flavour of garlic and chives is really preserved well when freeze-dried.
I do something kind of like this. I make herbed butter when my herbs are fresh then freeze it for later use. I also do a take off of sofrito which is so diverse in spanish and caribbean cultures you can do just about anything with it. I take maybe 4 heads of garlic, two or three big onions, one or two medium heat pepper as large as I can find, cilantro and whir it all together in the food processor. Then I freeze it in portions to use later. I do this with other combinations as well.
I have also stopped using bell peppers almost completely. I will use poblanos instead. They have that green flavor but with a kick.
Please to roast them on the grill/broiler first. Yums.
Quote from: LMNO on April 13, 2010, 02:48:50 PM
Please to roast them on the grill/broiler first. Yums.
MMMM then stuff them with chorizo, rice, and cheese!!!!
Many of the aforementioned stuff including smoked sea salt, saffron, roasted spices, etc.
However, I would like to give a mention to Peri-Peri (or peri peri sauce) and Pepadew for adding a good 'hot pepper' flavor without heavy heat for the more sensitive palette. I think Pepadew is technically a brand name for a specific variant of hot pepper, but I dunno its non brand name... name.
I'm partial to grey salt. I'm going to have to find some smoked sea salt.
I like that black lava salt for some reason
Oh yeah,
Green Onions
They always add that last little bit of flavor. Favorite application: whole wheat tortilla, gruyere, and green onions = the fanciest quesadilla you ever ate.
"Secret ingredient" in this house means this pepper mixture that comes from Afghanistan (we have my husband's relatives bring it over from time to time when they are visiting or going back to visit). Every house makes their own, it seems. It's got dried, crushed mint, sumac, either ground green or red pepper, and sometimes cumin seeds.
We use this both to cook with and as a condiment. My husband dubbed it "the secret ingredient" so that our 9 year old, who doesn't like spicy things, would tolerate a higher heat to the egg dishes he makes with his dad on the weekends. My husband doesn't like anything WITHOUT red pepper (or green), so he gets our son to eat more of it by making him use it as a "secret ingredient" while cooking (this goes for any dish he makes with the boy, actually). We are not above subterfuge around here, I guess.
As for things that I use that no one else does, it seems there's really nothing I can think of. I try to keep the notion of "balance" in mind since I don't use recipes much. I guesstimate how much to use of everything and go from there. I'm lazy, so anything that's a shortcut for me, I use.
We have some fabulous Asian markets around here (Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, Philippino), so I'll have to search out some of these things you are all talking about and try using them. The Philippino market had lots of the coconut oils, jams and vinegars, so that will be a snap.
Quote from: Emerald City Hustle on April 11, 2010, 12:08:35 AM
Quote from: Sigmatic on April 10, 2010, 08:51:34 PM
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.
:lol:
Actually made me giggle out loud.
I don't know if I have any secret ingredients. Sometimes I think things are all special and shit but then it turns out everyone uses them.
Crushed red peppers, the ones that come in HUGE bags for making kim-chee. They're milder than regular red chili flakes and have kind of a hot-paprika-ish flavor. These are super good in baked squash or bananas.
Dried, lightly toasted papaya seeds, mixed 50/50 with peppercorns in my pepper grinder. They're very mild and have a completely different flavor from pepper, and it's nice together.
I have a spice blend that consists of cardamom, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and cayenne, which I use in tea, pie, cookies, whatever. I call it "tea spice". As far as I know I made it up.
Dried tomatoes. Not sun-dried tomatoes, homegrown thin-sliced dried tomatoes that are all crisp and crumbly. Crushed and added to soups and sauces, they add a sweet-tart intensity. Same with dried peaches, which are also fantastic in pasta sauce.
Olive paste, used in kind of the same way you would use anchovy paste or nam pla. I'll use miso paste or boullion paste or marmite instead sometimes, depending.
okay, recently discovered secret ingredient:
sunflower seeds in blended soup.
cause they're a lot cheaper than pine nuts, mostly.
you know how you can easily make awesome soup from veggies like courgette (zuccini), broccoli, beets, pumpkin, or pretty much everything yeah?
it helps if you have a bit of onion+carrot+celery* ready addition to the main veggie, and of course garlic. cut it all up in tiny bits. you take a heavy soup pan, and a chunk of butter which you brown slowly, then you dump all the veggies into the pan, stir a bit cover everything with browned butter, and put the lid on and let simmer for a couple of ages. ok 15 minutes should do it. maybe you should do the carrot and onion first, cause they might take longer, anyone got an opinion on that? would it matter?
well, and then everything is nice and soft and browned and super tasty. and then you dump in a large cup of stock (I use cubes cause I'm out of stock), and with the blender-on-a-stick you blend everything into a smooth creamy soup. creamy? oh yes, you might want to add some cream. and a littlebit of black pepper.
well so far all this familiar, BUT
you can also brown and roast a bunch of sunflower seeds, they can be slightly browner than you'd like them on your salad, even. and then you throw them into the pan before you add the stock and blend them into the mix.
that is the secret ingredient. it gives wonderful flavoury nutty flavour, as well as thickening the soup a littlebit.
possibly if you make pumpkin soup, you're going to want to use pumpkin seeds, because I guess that would make sense.
* which is called mire-poix, when you use 2 parts onion to 1 part of the others. it's the basic veggies for any kind of soup or stock. and it really works, it makes things instantly more soupy tasting.
pain and despair
depression with a dash of murder
Fo realy though, an ingredient I love to use in lots of meals is red pepper flakes. It's really good on homemade pizza, in pasta, and my favorite is grilled cheese sandwhiches. I usually add it to the vegetables I'm sauteeing for the sandwhich and then I also add it to the bread after it's been buttered. Yummo!
ok me too
anchovies.
they add good salt to italian and asian recipes
Anchovies are actually pretty good, in the right dish. Although I'd never pair them with anything delicate or subtle.
I rarely use subtle flavors as the focus of a dish though. Some people think my food is too flavorful.
cocaine, on anything.
zingy