1887 Meat in sauce at a small banquet
The four inheritors of the royal chef families, head chef yang, were not good at any cuisines, because the Royal chefs had derived their own unique cooking methods.
If one had to say, head chef yang was good at Yang family dishes. There were ten private dishes in China, including Duan family dishes, Ren family dishes, Wang family dishes, Mei family dishes, Tan family dishes, and so on.
After all, in the capital, there were the Duan family cuisines of the military, the Wang family cuisines of the financial world, and the tan family cuisines of the banking world. In comparison, the goat family cuisines were not as well-known, mainly because the royal chef families were very low-key.
Back to the main topic, the goat family cuisine was more of a Beijing cuisine with Cantonese cuisine as its supplement.
Of course, it did not mean that head chef yang had mastered two cuisines. Most chefs could not fully master one cuisines.
For example, there were four styles of Zhejiang cuisine: ou cuisine, hang cuisine, yongban cuisine, and Jiaxing cuisine. It was not as simple as one would imagine.
What did he mean by Yuan Zhou mastering six cuisines?
However, a cheater could not represent an ordinary person!
For this knife-sealing banquet, head chef yang had started to design it bit by bit three years ago in an attempt to achieve perfection. It was a form of enjoyment, but it was also a form of self-destruction.
Because no matter how much praise there was outside, whether he was satisfied or not, he knew it best.
“If I want to hold a knife-sealing banquet one day, I’ll have to master at least the eight major cuisines in the country.”
“No, if I didn’t master all the interesting cuisines in the world, I might really not be able to put down my knife.” Yuan Zhou thought in his heart.
As the main dish of the small banquet, head chef yang had naturally thought about it before deciding on it.
Walking into the kitchen, head chef yang took out a square piece of meat from a dark-colored jar and placed it in a porcelain bowl at the side. Then, he took out a pot and filled it with water. He was probably planning to boil water.
“Are you going to make braised pork with soy sauce?” Yuan Zhou saw that although there were still water droplets on the meat that head chef yang took out, the color of the sauce and the oil droplets indicated that it was clear sauce meat.
“Head chef Yuan, you have good eyes.” Old GE sighed.
“Thank you for your praise, imperial chef GE.” Yuan Zhou answered.
The braised pork in clear sauce was also known as Beijing-style ham. It was similar to Jinhua ham, but it was only similar. The cooking method was completely different.
The main reason why the meat was called this was because lu di used to call soy sauce clear oil, and this ham was pickled with soy sauce.
Yuan Zhou knew all these. But to be honest, he had never eaten the authentic meat with clear sauce. After all, he had never come into contact with Beijing cuisine.
“It seems like head chef yang is going to make braised meat.” One of them, a gray-haired old man of average height, said.
“I say, old goat, when did you make this braised meat?” Old GE asked.
“I made it the year before last. It’s just right to take it out now.” Old Yang replied as he took out a piece of half-transparent alkaline block from the cabinet and put it into the pot that was already boiling.
“This is old Yang’s own method. He likes to wash the meat with fresh alkaline water, but I like to burn the alkaline blocks myself.” Mr. Ma just stood beside Yuan Zhou and seemed to be talking to himself.
“It’s easier to master the balance of the acid and alkali in it by burning it by yourself. It will better meet your own requirements.” Yuan Zhou was quite honest.
“Yes, that’s right.” Mr. MA nodded with satisfaction.”I remember that you went to learn carpentry directly in order to find the most suitable tableware to go with the dishes. It’s the same principle.”
The two of them talked and then revealed what Yuan Zhou had done.
Some of the chefs here made their own tableware, but none of them had started learning carpentry.
Therefore, when they looked at Yuan Zhou, they had some other expressions in their eyes.
Everyone watched head chef Yang’s actions and stood there in twos and threes. Time passed quickly. Just as head chef Yang’s second cold dish was about to be ready, the meat in clear sauce was done.
Head chef yang deftly scooped out the still-steaming marinated meat from the pot and placed it directly on a bamboo cutting board. He picked up a green bamboo knife from the corner and waved it at the marinated meat.
“Old Yang’s knife skills have not deteriorated.” Mr. MA said.
Mr. MA was right. Yuan Zhou saw a piece of meat fall off every time head chef yang raised his knife. The meat was as thin as a cicada’s wing. The upper part of the meat was made of fat, but it was so thin that it could be completely transparent. In fact, if it wasn’t for the dark red lean meat following the lower half, people with poor eyesight would probably think that there was nothing.
“Give me the first hot dish, meat in clear sauce. You guys eat first.” Head chef yang carried the steaming plate to the main hall and placed it on the huge square table.
The small bowls, chopsticks, and cups had already been placed there. They were placed there after Yuan Zhou and the others left the small courtyard.
Head chef yang put down the dish and went out to continue cooking the second dish. Yuan Zhou didn’t sit down beside Mr. MA until all the other head chefs had taken their seats.
Mr. MA was the first one to reach out his chopsticks and pick up a piece of meat. Only then did the others begin to reach out their chopsticks. Of course, Yuan Zhou was definitely the last one to pick up the meat. He had no choice because of his seniority and he was a person who respected his seniors the most.
In fact, head chef Yang’s meat in clear sauce looked red and bright. When it was first served, it had a strong aroma wrapped in a unique meaty fragrance. It was very delicious.
“It’s sharp and not greasy. It’s the top quality of the meat in clear sauce. It seems that the old sheep is still young.” Mr. Ma’s words were quite pleasant this time. It could be seen that head chef Yang’s cooking skills were quite good.
“That’s right. I don’t know why the knife-sealing banquet is being held so early. I think I can cook for another 20 years.” Old GE complained as he ate.
Although head chef yang was the oldest of the four, he was only 75 years old. The 70-year-old imperial chef GE felt that he was still very young.”An old steed has a steed, but its ambition is a thousand miles.”
“Indeed, his skills haven’t deteriorated. I think he has improved a little compared to five years ago.” Imperial chef mo said with a smile.
The other head chefs were also talking as they ate, making it seem very lively.
Yuan Zhou also ate it. The taste of the meat in clear sauce was not bad. First of all, there was a hint of saltiness mixed with the fragrance of beans on the tip of his tongue. As head chef yang had changed his cooking method of eating cold food to hot food, the heat dissolved the taste of the meat slowly with the help of his saliva. The fatty part melted a little bit in his mouth, while the lean part was tender and not dry. The taste was indeed not bad.
“If it’s eaten cold, will the taste be different? maybe I can try making it. Next year, I can try it with little ya.” Yuan Zhou calculated in the heart.
Soon, head chef yang began to serve the second cold dish. His timing was more accurate, which was about five minutes after the meat was finished. Maintaining this pace, the small banquet’s three cold and three hot dishes were soon served.
All the head chefs, including Yuan Zhou, were very satisfied with the food. They knew the time between the small banquet and the Grand banquet. Therefore, they all moved to the courtyard again and waited for the first dish of the Grand banquet.
Head chef Yang’s control of the time was quite accurate. After an hour and thirty minutes, the first dish of the banquet was ready. By then, everyone had basically digested what they had eaten.
……
[Ps: the vegetable cat has eaten the tan family’s food once, and the only feeling it has is that it’s … So expensive!] In addition, the meat in clear sauce is delicious. Do you have any appetite after watching it? if you do, arrange for delivery!