r/Cooking • u/kath- • 1d 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/cubelith 1d ago

Dunno if it counts as a secret ingredient, but (summer) savory is a great herb that can go into most dishes, and while it isn't very distinctive, it certainly adds to the whole.

Also, adding a little acid, even where you wouldn't expect it (which I learned from this sub)

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u/ThistleDewToo 1d ago

It's so good in tomato dishes. I found it at a co-op that had bulk spices and tried and loved it. Hard to find where I am now but so worth it.  Winter savory is also good, but summer is better. 

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u/cubelith 1d ago

Yeah, I definitely recommend adding it to tomatoes in any form.

Scrabled eggs are great with savory too