<p>Ok…we all add “love”…but what different/unusual ingredient/spice/herb do you add to your old stand-by recipes that make them a bit unique or better tasting?</p>
<p>I’ll go first…</p>
<p>To my standard pasta sauce recipe, I add…</p>
<p>A can of of low sodium V8 juice (either size of the individual cans)</p>
<p>a couple tablespoons of the pasta water (got that hint from Giada)</p>
<p>a pinch of crushed red pepper (not unusual, I know) </p>
<p>I know that some people add some herbs/spices to steamed rice or scrambled eggs. Is it cardamom? or something else?</p>
<p>Anyway…what unusual thing do you add to typical dishes?</p>
<p>I’m a huge fan of saffron with seafood and in rice. I like lime or lemon juice added to a sauce at the end to brighten it up, a little bit.</p>
<p>I tend to cook with a lot of fresh oregano, which has a very different flavor from dried, and I like terragon, too, which is sometimes not beloved, but I love it together with grainy mustard to make an easy deglazing sauce.</p>
<p>One thing most home cooks do not realize is that using shallots is one of the most important ways to add depth to a dish… buerre blanc, matre d butter, many classic sauces, with the exception of the bechamal, heavy cream based suauces nobody uses anymore, have shallots in them. FWIW.</p>
<p>I’ve snuck fish sauce into various things (salad dressing, stir fries). It smells disgusting, but the umami really brings out other flavors.</p>
<p>I agree that everything tastes better with shallots - even better than onions. (And a cream sauce every once in a while isn’t going to kill anyone!)</p>
<p>I’m also a fan of a pinch of cayenne or a squirt of lemon juice. </p>
<p>I’ve also become a real fan of middle eastern spice mixtures - often cinnamon, cumin and cayenne. I am also using one called zahtar a spice blend comprised of sesame seeds mixed with powdered sumac and dried thyme.</p>
<p>Know zahtar well! MIL bakes it on flattened canned biscuits for breakfast.</p>
<p>This is actually a sore topic for me, as dh adds Tony Chacere’s to everything. I hate that. Italian, Mexican, BBQ. Why would you want EVERYTHING to taste the same? Grrr.</p>
<p>YDS: I gotta agree with your hubby. Everything tastes better with a little Tony Chachere, or Cajun Chef hot sauce. (what can I say - I’m a Nawlins girl!)</p>
<p>I add tarragon to scrambled eggs & to buttered egg noodles.</p>
<p>( I also sometimes put just a tiny bit of white wine in scrambled eggs)</p>
<p>I put chipotle chile powder in hot cocoa, strong coffee in beef stew, & fresh ground pepper & balsamic vinegar on cut strawberries.
( although that might be pretty common)
I love turmeric- which I usually use dried, but I just bought a root at the grocery so I get to experiment!</p>
<p>mathmom…I have no idea what zahtar is…I hope I can find it.</p>
<p>zahtar
[ZAH-tar]
Popular throughout Turkey and North Africa, zahtar is a spice blend comprised of sesame seeds mixed with powdered SUMAC and dried thyme. It’s sprinkled over meats and vegetables, or mixed with oil as a spread for bread. Zahtar can be found in Middle Eastern markets.</p>
<p>Since we’re on the topic of spices, I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t yet discovered Penzey’s to do so! Finding a store near my home has completely opened up the cooking possibilities at my house. Some of their blends are really great. Good for college kids, too, as it makes cooking and experimenting more fun.</p>
<p>Trader Joe’s frozen spinach that comes in a bag. I put it in almost everything I make! Pasta sauces, meat sauces, lasagna, chicken/turkey recipes, soups, etc…yum. My kids have gotten used to it over the years and no more complaining about spinach! ;)</p>
<p>When I cook in a combination of dill and rosemary in equal parts, especially for long-cooking casserole dishes that include tomatoes or tomato sauce, my guests melt with delight. </p>
<p>Sometimes I use ground rosemary, and sometimes fresh sprigs, depending on the crowd. You have to push the fresh sprigs aside on your plate, but they are far more fragrant than the edible powder. For the dill leaves, the canned is almost as good as the fresh, so there’s a shortcut. Dill leaves, not seeds! </p>
<p>I think it’s a good change from the usual Italian spices (basil, oregano…) which I don’t use at the same time. It surprises, and the house smells phenomenal!</p>
<p>I knew about Penzey’s but didn’t know there was one about 25 minutes away and had never gotten around to doing mail order. Then a gourmet cook friend gave me a starter set. I can see that I’m going to be completely hooked. What a difference - that cinnamon is amazing! Looking forward to tagging along with her on a trip there next week.</p>
<p>Wine, and lots of it. To deglaze the pan. Cook it hot enough & all the alcohol goes away – we buy the cheapest stuff we can get in the large jugs.</p>