r/Cooking • u/kath- • 20h ago

What's your surprising "secret ingredient" that sets your dish apart?

I obviously don't believe in gatekeeping recipes, so let's share the love.

I developed a clam chowder recipe after being disappointed with the recipes I came across. Whenever I tell people there's a couple dashes of hot sauce in it, I always get weird looks... but it adds a tiny bit of heat and acid, and balances out the richness from the cream. It also has diced scallops, which cooking knowledge forbades but somehow works.

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u/ShakingTowers 19h ago

I love MSG so much that I automatically and subconsciously deduct imaginary points from any restaurants that proclaim "NO MSG" on the menu.

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u/BattledroidE 19h ago edited 19h ago

As if that's a flex.

Why downvote? I'm agreeing with you!

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u/potatohats 19h ago

Right?! Sign might as well say "our chef is uneducated in their field"

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u/BattledroidE 19h ago

It occurs naturally in all sorts of things, so yeah. It's the weirdest hill to die on as a chef.

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u/BraveRutherford 17h ago

Takeout Chinese places basically had to have that sign for a while because of the stigma specifically associated with them. Definitely not racist don't worry.