One of my faves is celery. In soup, sauce, curry, I blend up a couple of sticks of celery (often with garlic and ginger) and add it into the base. Another is fennel seeds - go carefully with 'em, but a few bring a surprise aniseed hint when you fancy that on your boring taters or carrots.
Wow, no one has mentioned black garlic! LOVE the stuff!! Whiz up in salad dressing, chop up into white pasta sauce, blend into some tamari and marinate some beef! The other thing I'm using for so many things is hemp hearts; toast them and put on salad, roll a loaf of sour dough bread in them, add to your granola. Thanks for these great tips!!
100% agreed. My mom always put nutmeg on green beans and I assumed it was the human experience, so I was very surprised to learn my husband did not grow up this way. Pretty sure this was the party trick that got him to marry me.
I can relate to your story about the secret recipe. I still don't have my aunt's famous chocolate chip cookie recipe! Thanks for sharing your secret ingredients. I love trying new flavors.
Cookie Queen(tm) made me laugh out loud, because my grandmother was Pie Queen(tm) and even sold them in the tiny town near Redding where my dad grew up. She told my mom and aunts that they wouldn't get her special pie crust recipe til they'd been married to her sons for 10 years, and then one got divorced at 9 years so it got extended to 20. She was a cranky old bat.
A couple of years ago I made your “White Squash Dinner Rolls” using pumpkin purée with good results. Then recently I made your “Throwback Dinner Rolls” from Hungry as Hell. These were beautiful but a bit dry. I thought adding some pumpkin purée would do the trick but I simply couldn’t figure out how to combine the best of the two recipes to get some nice, moist rolls. Any suggestions?
The pumpkin rolls should have been moist! If the dough isn’t smooth and moist when you’re kneading it, add more liquid. It’s always better to have the dough be a little on the softer side than too dry and stiff. I hope that helps!
I love your “Creamy Red Pepper and Tomato Stew with White Beans. I’ve made it twice. I’m confused about the can of full fat coconut milk, which shows in the ingredients list but isn’t mentioned in the recipe. I’ve added it both times but recently the stew was far too sweet. When how should that be added?
You add it to the food processor with the roasted red pepper. It shouldn’t be sweet! Make sure the coconut milk you buy doesn’t have anything added to it like flavorings or sugar, just a can of full fat coconut milk. The recipe has been updated on substack if you want to grab a copy without the typo. So sorry!
Definitely great "what is in this??" recommendations! At Kripalu (where I go to maintain sanity and health) they make two incredible things with Ume Vinegar - pickled radishes and this scallion dressing that is completely amazing. (Recipe is available online.).
Loved this! Also in need of help! I’m making a Cajun chicken pasta today, which of these will help it taste insane. instead of just good? I’m thinking nooch or sumac? But would love your advice
I like to use white pepper when it feels right. I live in Springfield Missouri and grew up on Springfield style cashew chicken. (Google it) When I tried to recreate it, I failed a lot but, when I put the white pepper in the sauce...hells yeah!
Just visited my sister and she put citric acid in regular seltzer and blew my mind. Also found a recipe on ig that was purple onion with lemon, good extra virgin olive oil and a whole mess of sumac. It was truly an experience. I put them on everything!!!
Citric acid in my sodastream water is game changing. I have been using True Lime packets but it's great to have an option with the bite but not the lime flavor. Thanks!
She blew my damn mind with that one. And when we were drinking at the ballpark she threw some citric acid into her beer and took it next level. Clearly I have a lot to learn.
One of my faves is celery. In soup, sauce, curry, I blend up a couple of sticks of celery (often with garlic and ginger) and add it into the base. Another is fennel seeds - go carefully with 'em, but a few bring a surprise aniseed hint when you fancy that on your boring taters or carrots.
Wow, no one has mentioned black garlic! LOVE the stuff!! Whiz up in salad dressing, chop up into white pasta sauce, blend into some tamari and marinate some beef! The other thing I'm using for so many things is hemp hearts; toast them and put on salad, roll a loaf of sour dough bread in them, add to your granola. Thanks for these great tips!!
Ohhhh I love hemp hearts! Great suggestion
Wonderful list!! I’ll add nutmeg- a dash in anything with greens, or creamy dishes gives you intrigue but doesn’t overwhelm
100% agreed. My mom always put nutmeg on green beans and I assumed it was the human experience, so I was very surprised to learn my husband did not grow up this way. Pretty sure this was the party trick that got him to marry me.
Definitely a marriage worthy move!!
Yes! A little nutmeg is a great secret ingredient
I never mention when there's a couple of anchovies in the dish. Thanks for the nooch ideas
I agree! Anchovy is a wonderful secret ingredient!
I can relate to your story about the secret recipe. I still don't have my aunt's famous chocolate chip cookie recipe! Thanks for sharing your secret ingredients. I love trying new flavors.
Cookie Queen(tm) made me laugh out loud, because my grandmother was Pie Queen(tm) and even sold them in the tiny town near Redding where my dad grew up. She told my mom and aunts that they wouldn't get her special pie crust recipe til they'd been married to her sons for 10 years, and then one got divorced at 9 years so it got extended to 20. She was a cranky old bat.
Lolololol, gotta respect the hustle.
Sometimes a tiny bit of sugar can help, especially with tomato-based dishes like pasta sauce or chili!
a pinch of sugar in a tomato sauce is a classic secret ingredient! great reminder
A couple of years ago I made your “White Squash Dinner Rolls” using pumpkin purée with good results. Then recently I made your “Throwback Dinner Rolls” from Hungry as Hell. These were beautiful but a bit dry. I thought adding some pumpkin purée would do the trick but I simply couldn’t figure out how to combine the best of the two recipes to get some nice, moist rolls. Any suggestions?
The pumpkin rolls should have been moist! If the dough isn’t smooth and moist when you’re kneading it, add more liquid. It’s always better to have the dough be a little on the softer side than too dry and stiff. I hope that helps!
Many thanks
I love your “Creamy Red Pepper and Tomato Stew with White Beans. I’ve made it twice. I’m confused about the can of full fat coconut milk, which shows in the ingredients list but isn’t mentioned in the recipe. I’ve added it both times but recently the stew was far too sweet. When how should that be added?
You add it to the food processor with the roasted red pepper. It shouldn’t be sweet! Make sure the coconut milk you buy doesn’t have anything added to it like flavorings or sugar, just a can of full fat coconut milk. The recipe has been updated on substack if you want to grab a copy without the typo. So sorry!
Thank you
Definitely great "what is in this??" recommendations! At Kripalu (where I go to maintain sanity and health) they make two incredible things with Ume Vinegar - pickled radishes and this scallion dressing that is completely amazing. (Recipe is available online.).
I’m running to find that dressing recipe!!
*runs off to look up that dressing recipe*
I’ll definitely try sneaking in more “nooch” in future dishes. So far I’ve only used it in an aquafaba omelette, but now? The sky’s the limit!
My secret sneaky ingredient is avocado in normally sweet things: smoothies, puddings, pies, BTW. More on that in an upcoming newsletter !!
ohhhh I like that
I’m going to have to try that Michelle .
Loved this! Also in need of help! I’m making a Cajun chicken pasta today, which of these will help it taste insane. instead of just good? I’m thinking nooch or sumac? But would love your advice
sorry that I just saw this but your instincts are great, nooch and/or sumac would be perfect
Love these! Nutritional yeast especially. I also love using black cumin powder. Have you tried that one? I even sprinkle it on avocado toast. 🥑
Nigella seeds! I’ve never put them on avocado toast but I will now. They’re definitely an overlooked ingredient for “finishing” dishes
I like to use white pepper when it feels right. I live in Springfield Missouri and grew up on Springfield style cashew chicken. (Google it) When I tried to recreate it, I failed a lot but, when I put the white pepper in the sauce...hells yeah!
White pepper is very very underrated in everyday meals. Another great secret ingredient!
White pepper is my secret ingredient in butternut squash soup.
Just visited my sister and she put citric acid in regular seltzer and blew my mind. Also found a recipe on ig that was purple onion with lemon, good extra virgin olive oil and a whole mess of sumac. It was truly an experience. I put them on everything!!!
Citric acid in my sodastream water is game changing. I have been using True Lime packets but it's great to have an option with the bite but not the lime flavor. Thanks!
You’re living the good life *runs to grab seltzer and citric acid*
She blew my damn mind with that one. And when we were drinking at the ballpark she threw some citric acid into her beer and took it next level. Clearly I have a lot to learn.
I gotta try this now 😍
You leveled us ALL up right now.
Running out to get citric acid obviously.