Mom wanted to do stir fry. Soy sauce was all out, and the stir fry sauce we had was expired by two months (yeuch.)
So she tossed chicken into the pan and turned the fire on, then wandered off... again.
I brought it down to medium and hit it with an assortment of spices, but the damage was done. It came out bland and unremarkable.
Same thing for the veggies, she'd essentially done the same thing. So I mixed up a sauce that was mostly butter and drenched the works.
This elevated the dish, and mom was quite impressed.
I remember several years ago watching an interview with Anthony Bourdain, where he recounted a story about cheating in culinary school. He said the secret to a good meal is salt, and a shitload of butter.
How do you use butter? Heavily? Sparingly? Avoidant-ly?
I've known people who refuse to use it in any way, and people who use nasty coconut substitutes, so let me know, just how do you use butter?
