Unusual ingredients

[blueridgelover]

Recently, I discovered something amazing by accident: basil pesto is amazing in chicken noodle soup! I was making some from scratch the other day, and the recipe typically calls for basil. I'd run out, and the only thing I'd had on hand was a jar of pesto in the fridge. Totally transformed the flavor. I'll never make it any other way again.

How about you guys? What are your "secret" ingredients?

 

[cabinfever]

That's interesting. I have some weird sauce things that my sister-in-law gave us and we've had no idea what to do with them. I'll have to try putting them into recipes just to see what happens.

 

[Snuggles]

I like the basil pesto idea blueridgelover. I grow a bumper crop of basil every year. Now I have another way to use it. Have you ever used tomato sauce in chocolate cake? It makes the cake very moist and you can't taste it. The first time I ever tried it was a total experiment but it surely does taste good.

 

[Grandpa]

I like the basil pesto idea blueridgelover. I grow a bumper crop of basil every year. Now I have another way to use it. Have you ever used tomato sauce in chocolate cake? It makes the cake very moist and you can't taste it. The first time I ever tried it was a total experiment but it surely does taste good.

Havn't tried tomato sauce but apple sauce goes good in any cake.

 

[Hikenhunter]

Miracle Whip salad dressing keeps chocolate cake moist. Probably works in any cake mix but I've only ever had it in chocolate cake. Also using coffee with cream in place of milk or water, gives your choclate cake a whole different flavor.

 

[Cappy]

Every one picks at us Cajuns for eating almost anything but what folks don't know is we do this with very few ingredients. I grew up in the country and we didn't have a lot of out side influence. Cajun cooking is wonderful varied but traditionally very simple. As an example olive oil. I was outa high school and on my own before I know folks ate olive oil. The only olive oil in our house was kept in the bathroom medicine cabinet. It had several uses but the one I remember most is it was used for earaches. Warmed iand soaked up with a cotton ball and stuck in ya ear. The examples are too numerous to list but though our dishes are varied season wiles tey are very basic using only the spices that were available.

 

[stm1957]

Have you ever slow roasted or braised a rather lean chunk of beef, pork or venison and been disappointed that the pan juices just didn't have much flavor?

Adding salt just makes it salty, adding soy sauce just makes it taste like soy sauce... a little beef base might help a bit, but I got this tip from Emeril... add a teaspoon or two of anchovy paste.

If used sparingly it imparts absolutely no fishy taste, but greatly enhances a dish's umami, or savory quality. The first time I used it was to fortify a very bland turkey gravy made from the lackluster pan drippings from a wild turkey.

Now when ever a stew, soup, sauce, or gravy just needs a bit of a flavor boost, a dab of anchovy paste and a pinch of granulated garlic is usually my first choice.

 

[ponderosa]

I like that anchovy paste tip, thanks.

 

[stm1957]

Red's apple ale

During the colder months, we use an enameled dutch oven a lot.

Just recently we discovered that "Red's Apple Ale" is a great liquid to use when braising. We have used it with country style pork ribs, beef short ribs, and chicken. It adds a nice sweetness that isn't overwhelming, and it compliments the herbs and spices we typically use. Combined with the meat's juices it even makes a very good gravy or sauce.

I'm not all that fond of it to just drink, but I sure like cooking with it.

 

[ppine]

fish sauce
wasabi
ferugrek
rooster sauce
hoisin sauce
turmeric
nutmeg on meat
cardamom
sesame oil
coconut milk

Pesto made with basil and pine nuts or other nuts is a staple of northern Italian cuisine.

 

[Theo]

I just experienced an unusual ingredient. My D-I-L uses cinnamon in chili. I've never run across this but it is good. She adds 1 tsp. to one batch. Seems to help bring out all the spices.

 

[Stargazer]

I like the basil pesto idea blueridgelover. I grow a bumper crop of basil every year. Now I have another way to use it. Have you ever used tomato sauce in chocolate cake? It makes the cake very moist and you can't taste it. The first time I ever tried it was a total experiment but it surely does taste good.

I had never heard of using tomato sauce in cake. Who much do you use? Is it a substitute for another ingredient or do you use it as an additional ingredient?

 

[blueridgelover]

Great ideas across the board! I'm going to have to try all of these, I am way too intrigued. I've never really been a fan of seafood, but the anchovy paste could be worth a try. You never know, right?

 

[dinosaur]

Salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, cayenne and olive oil combined with squirrel, coon, venison, snake, crayfish, any bird breasted for meat, turtle, rabbit, mink, muskrat, wild pig or any other game, even beef, pork and chicken will produce a fine meal.

If you've got some spuds, rice or flour and some baking soda, I'll round out that meal for you and pour some squeezins out of the bota for you that'll help you sleep and might bring a song to your lips before bedtime.

Oh, by the way, a little popcorn cooked up to go with squeezins never hurts.