Everyday Life Starting with Food Wars

"Why did you two buy so many groceries?" Grandma Wenxu asked in surprise, looking at the large bags in their hands. "You young people have so much energy, starting to fuss around in the middle of the day."

"You can use the kitchen, but remember to clean everything up after you're done."

"Received, Granny Wenxu." X2

The two responded simultaneously and then each chose one of the cooking stations on either side.

Chen Yuxing first poured all the seafood he bought into the sink and rinsed it.

The red rockfish has a very bright color, and its scales reflect a dark red luster under the light; the sole is the same, but its skin is smoother than that of the red rockfish, and the other seafood is also quite fresh.

Chen Yuxing picked up a knife and began to process the fish.

The simplest options are sea bass and red rockfish. You just need to remove the scales and internal organs and rinse them clean. However, when cleaning the internal organs of red rockfish, you need to be careful not to break the gallbladder, otherwise the whole fish will taste bitter.

Sole is a little more troublesome because this type of fish has thick skin, and in order to prevent it from affecting the soup when cooking, the skin must be completely peeled off.

Chen Yuxing quickly finished processing all the fish, cutting off the heads, bones, and tails and setting them aside separately, while cutting the fish meat into large chunks.

"Ah Xing, why do I feel like your steps for making fish soup are a little different from the normal ones? Is there some special way to do it?" Soma Yukihira asked curiously as he tied the beef shank with cotton thread.

"There are indeed some differences. In Japan, fish soup is mostly made with kelp, bonito flakes, or other types of fish. But bouillabaisse is different. You need to first fry the fish bones in oil until fragrant, and then add spices and vegetables to stew and add broth."

Chen Yuxing began to explain to Yukihira Soma, then placed the soup pot on the stove, added a small amount of olive oil, and heated it over medium heat.

When the temperature was about right, he added the fish head and bones and started stir-frying them with a wooden spoon.

The fish bones sizzled in the olive oil, and a layer of brownish color began to appear around them. The originally transparent eyes on the fish head quickly turned white.

Then Chen Yuxing added the prepared onions, fennel, and garlic cloves to the pot and continued to stir-fry. The spices released their own aroma due to the heat, and the whole kitchen was filled with a sweet fragrance.

Across from him, Soma Yukihira had already prepared the beef shank and was frying it in a pan.

The beef quickly turned from its original bright red to brown under high temperature, and a layer of charred crust appeared on its surface.

"Speaking of which, the beef shank you chose is much harder to stew than the original beef shoulder. If the time and temperature are not right, it will be tough to chew."

"Well, so I need to fry it first to give it a crust. Then I can put it in a pressure cooker for about half an hour. Finally, I'll put it in a clay pot to simmer slowly. This way, the outer layer will have a caramelized aroma, while the inside will be soft and tender."

"As expected of you, Soma." Chen Yuxing said as he poured seafood broth into the stir-fried fish bones and vegetables.

Once the broth covers the fish bones, cover the pot and let it simmer slowly.

"That's right. After all, the topic this time is Western cuisine, which I'm not very familiar with, so if I want to be innovative, I can only try my best."

Soma Yukihira took out the already fried beef and set it aside, then began to prepare the bacon.

He cut the bacon into small pieces and threw them into the pan where he had just fried the beef, so that the excess fat in the bacon could be rendered out.

Chen Yuxing leaned against the side, watching Yukihira Soma's actions, waiting for his soup to boil.

After the soup boiled, he lifted the lid and added the most crucial ingredient—saffron.

The saffron turns the soup golden yellow the moment it comes into contact with the hot broth, and as the color spreads, the whole pot of soup quickly turns amber.

Chen Yuxing picked up a ladle and skimmed off all the foam on the surface, then turned the heat down to low and let the soup continue to simmer for a while.

He took out freshly picked tomatoes from the refrigerator that morning, made a cross-shaped cut on the bottom of each tomato, blanched them in hot water for a short while, peeled off all the skins, chopped the tomato flesh, and added it to the soup.

At this point, the flavor of the soup slowly began to emerge.

The acidity of tomatoes complements the sweetness of fennel, along with the caramelized aroma from simmering fish bones and the unique floral fragrance of saffron.

Across from him, Soma Yukihira was also putting all the fried bacon and beef shank into a small bowl, adding chopped carrots and onions, sprinkling some flour, stirring it up, and then putting it into the oven.

Bake at a temperature of over 200 degrees Celsius for about four or five minutes, then take it out, flip it over, and bake for another four or five minutes. After two rounds of baking, the flour is completely incorporated into the ingredients.

After taking them out of the oven, Soma poured all the ingredients into a casserole dish, poured in a bottle of red wine, added the prepared beef broth, and then added a few bay leaves and thyme, which completed half of the task.

He placed the casserole on the counter, turned on the heat to high and brought it to a boil, then turned the heat to low, covered it, and began to simmer it slowly.

After simmering for about twenty minutes, Soma Yukihira opened the lid and looked inside. The beef in the casserole had turned completely the color of red wine, and the broth had become much thicker. He picked up a spoon, scooped up a little bit of the broth, and drank it.

"Hmm... the red wine is a bit too sour. Looks like I need to add some salt beforehand." Soma Yukihira muttered to himself as he added a little salt and put the lid back on.

Chen Yuxing's fish soup had been simmering for more than half an hour. When he lifted the lid, the soup inside had become very thick and the color had turned the color of saffron, with a layer of oil floating on the surface.

He took out a strainer and filtered out all the fish bones and vegetable scraps, and the resulting broth looked perfect.

Chen Yuxing poured the soup back into the pot and turned on a low heat to keep it warm.

Next, take out the fish pieces that were cut earlier, sprinkle them with a little salt and black pepper, and heat oil in a separate frying pan.

Once the oil is hot, add the fish and fry until both sides are golden brown and crispy.

The fish pieces were neatly placed into five soup bowls. Chen Yuxing then fried and cooked the rock lobsters and mussels he had bought and added them in.

He took the pot of hot soup and poured it little by little over the fish.

As the broth came into contact with the fish, a wisp of white steam began to rise from the bowl, and the aroma of saffron mixed with the smell of seafood wafted out.

"Oh? Hoshino, did you finish on your end?" Soma Yukihira sniffed and looked over.

"The fish soup is almost ready, we just need a baguette, but that should be done pretty quickly."

Chen Yuxing took out a baguette from the cupboard, cut it into thick slices, spread some garlic on it, drizzled a little olive oil on it, and baked it in the oven for two minutes.

The aroma of garlic wafted from the toasted bread crust. Chen Yuxing then spread a layer of spicy mayonnaise on top and placed it on the side of the soup bowl, and it was done.

"The first version of Bouillabaisse is complete."

"My beef stew in red wine is finished too!"

Soma Yukihira turned off the heat, took all the beef out of the casserole and placed it on a porcelain plate, along with chopped carrots and fried mushrooms.

Finally, scoop two spoonfuls of red wine broth from the casserole and pour it over the beef, then sprinkle with parsley.

"We have not been hospitable."

Soma Yukihira habitually pulled off his headscarf and called out, then placed the plate on the counter.

Just as the two had finished plating and were about to taste each other's food, the kitchen door was pushed open.

"Oh! It smells so good! I can smell it from outside!"

Miyoko Hojo walked in wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and carrying a bag of fruit.

As soon as she entered the door, she was drawn in by the aromas coming from the kitchen: the rich seafood scent of bouillabaisse on one side and the savory meaty aroma of beef stew in red wine on the other.

Are you two practicing for next week's game?

"Isn't this Hojo? You've come at just the right time!" Soma Yukihira's eyes lit up when he saw her. "We just finished cooking, come and try some!"

"Better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early." Chen Yuxing wiped his hands and looked at Hojo Miyoko.

"I originally came to chat with Xiaohui and Youji, and I bought some fruit for you while I was at it."

Miyoko Hojo put down the fruit she was holding on the empty counter and walked over: "Your dishes both look delicious. What are they?"

"I have bouillabaisse here, and Chuangzhen has beef stew in red wine. You should try both." Chen Yuxing handed over a spoon and a knife and fork.

“It’s rare to have the chance to enjoy the dishes of both of you together.” Miyoko Hojo took the cutlery and first looked at Soma Yukihira’s red wine braised beef.

It looks perfect; the beef on the plate looks very appealing and has a very smooth surface.

The side dishes of carrots, mushrooms, and onions were also quite good, glistening with a light sheen after being soaked in the red wine sauce.

Miyoko Hojo picked up her knife and fork and gently poked the surface of the beef. The fork sank in, but the beef didn't fall apart; it had a firm texture.

She cut off a small piece, dipped it in the broth, and put it in her mouth.

The first flavor is that of red wine, reminiscent of Guo Xiang's taste, with the sweetness of grapes blending with the rich flavor of broth, spreading across the tongue.

Then there's the texture of the beef. She originally thought it would take a little effort to bite into it, since it's beef shank.

But in reality, it's very easy to bite through with one bite, yet you can still feel the elasticity of the beef.

"What's going on with this meat?" Hojo Miyoko looked down at the beef on the plate, cut off a piece, and examined the cut surface carefully.

"Hehe, I added some hawthorns." Soma Yukihira took a sealed bag from the counter containing some dried hawthorns. "After I finished preparing the beef, I put the hawthorns and onions into the pot."

"When stewing, the lipase and acid in hawthorn can penetrate into the meat and break down some of the fibers, but not completely. As a result, the meat will feel very soft, but still chewy."

“A brilliant idea.” Miyoko Hojo took another sip of soup. “However, I feel that the sauce is a little too thick; it’s a bit too rich for me.”

"Hmm, it was alright when it was freshly stewed, but it did get a bit greasy after it cooled down." Chen Yuxing also took a sip and commented, "But it's still okay. Although it's a bit rich, the taste is still quite good."

"Did they add apples to it?" Miyoko Hojo asked Soma Yukihira.

"Yes, you could taste it?" Soma Yukihira asked, somewhat surprised.

“Hmm, the aroma of red wine pairs very well with the apple.” Miyoko Hojo put down her spoon and thought seriously for a while before saying, “This dish is delicious overall, but the aroma is a bit one-dimensional. I think it would be better to add some spices, such as cardamom or cinnamon, to add some layers of flavor.”

"It seems...it really is!" Soma Yukihira's eyes lit up, and he pulled out a notebook from somewhere and started writing furiously. "After all, this is only the first version, and there are still many things that can be improved."

Chapter 85 The Semifinals Begin

"Try mine next."

Chen Yuxing pushed his plate of bouillabaisse towards Hojo Miyoko.

The fish soup sat quietly in the bowl, looking very beautiful.

The golden broth is topped with fish, lobster, shellfish, and other seafood. A slice of garlic bread crust, coated with orange-red sauce, sits on the side of the bowl, emitting a rich aroma.

Hojo Miyoko picked up a spoon, stirred the soup twice, and then scooped up a mouthful to taste it.

The moment the soup touches your tongue, the fresh and sweet taste of seafood unfolds on your tongue.

The freshness of red rockfish, the richness of sea bass, and the gelatinous texture of sole.

The soup, made from three different types of fish, has distinct flavors that complement each other subtly.

In addition, there's the slightly sour taste of tomatoes, fennel, and the unique floral aroma of saffron.

"Why does this soup... have a burnt smell?" Hojo Miyoko stared wide-eyed at the soup in her bowl.

"Because I pan-fried the fish bones beforehand before making the soup, which makes the soup more flavorful."

"I see. The broth has absorbed the essence of the fish bones and other seafood, concentrating it all together. It's an incredibly delicious experience... So what about the fish and the other parts?"

As she spoke, she eagerly picked up a piece of sea bass and other seafood.

The fish meat is snow-white and delicate, melting in your mouth. It doesn't become dry at all because the outer shell was fried a little bit. On the contrary, because it has absorbed the soup, the soup absorbed by the fish meat bursts out the moment you bite into it.

Rock lobster meat is very firm and springy, while mussels have a very smooth texture.

The three different textures of fish, shrimp, and shellfish appear in your mouth, and the experience is different every second.

"Don't just focus on eating these, try the bread slices on the side," Chen Yuxing said, pointing to the bread crusts on the side of the bowl.

"it is good."

Miyoko Hojo picked up the slice of bread covered in sauce, dipped it directly into the soup, and then took a bite.

"Click".

The sound of bread slices crackling filled the air. The mild spiciness of the chili in the sauce, combined with the garlic spread on the bread, created a fusion of two spicy flavors, culminating in the deliciousness of the fish soup.

"So delicious!" Hojo Miyoko felt as if her soul had drifted to Marseille, France, where she was enjoying the sea breeze, sipping soup, and watching the sunset.

By the time she came to her senses, she had already finished the entire bowl of soup.

“Phew…” Miyoko Hojo put down her spoon and looked at Chen Yuxing and Soma Yukihira with a complicated expression: “You two are monsters… I’m even a little glad I was eliminated and didn’t run into you…”

"However, I feel there are still some flaws. The fish soup is delicious, and the fish is very tender, but it feels like... it's lacking a bit of impact..."

"Impact?"

Chen Yuxing pondered for a moment after hearing Hojo Miyoko's comments, but then picked up a spoon and tasted it himself.

The taste was very fresh, both the fish and the soup were very good, but compared to Soma's red wine braised beef, which aimed to add a unique touch, it did lack something truly amazing.

“It seems we need to make some adjustments.” Chen Yuxing put down his spoon and said slowly, “Logically speaking, I added saffron, so the soup should have an extra layer of floral aroma. Maybe I didn’t add enough, so it was overwhelmed by the other flavors. Normally, the flavor of saffron can be the finishing touch.”

"There is still a lot of room for improvement."

……

In the following days, the entire Polar Star Lodge was filled with the aroma of beef stewed in red wine and bouillabaisse.

Two people were also permanently stationed in the kitchen: Chen Yuxing on the left and Yukihira Soma on the right.

"Ah Xing! Try it again for me! I've made some improvements."

Soma Yukihira brought over a clay pot, the aroma of soy sauce and red wine mixed together was very rich.