The 2 Ingredients Gordon Ramsay Uses To Fix Oversalted Bolognese

Some know Gordon Ramsay for his roles on television where he is everything from a globetrotting culinary tour guide on "Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered" to an unhinged executive chef (with a heart of gold) on "Hell's Kitchen." Whichever way he is presented, the celebrated chef, author, and restaurateur has spent decades in the restaurant industry, earning laughs, fans, and Michelin stars along the way. Underneath it all, he is an experienced and respected chef who knows his way around the kitchen. And when it comes to culinary disasters, he's a pro at both averting and fixing them.

Too little salt in a recipe can easily be fixed, but when too much salt has landed in a sauce, soup, or any type of dish, often the only thing that can be done is to order takeout. Ramsay, however, disagrees, at least when it comes to the classic pasta sauce, Bolognese. While answering cooking questions from Twitter on WIRED's Chef Support, Ramsay was asked about fixing a much-too-salty Bolognese sauce and his answer includes the addition of not one but two unexpected ingredients.

Gordon Ramsay showcased his expertise as he was peppered with questions about everything from how to mince garlic to what to do with the green parts of leeks. When a Twitter user asked if adding raw potato will remedy his salty Bolognese, Ramsay rejected that idea but did explain what can be done instead. The seasoned chef advised the home cook to remove a third of the Bolognese sauce and add a touch of sugar and a bit of crème fraîche to "lighten up the flavor and get rid of that salty taste," via YouTube.

Salt is tamed by the addition of fat, namely heavy cream, butter, sour cream, and milk. Crème fraîche fits right in with this camp and, thus, does the trick beautifully. For future cooking endeavors, remember that you can always add salt but removing it is impossible, so season slowly and taste as you go.