Chapter Six: A Carpaccio With Fanfare
While Mr. Ville went to gather firewood, I jumped into Campy’s cabin. If possible, I don’t want to reveal Campy until after the meal. It would surely become a big deal, and if it turns into a big deal, there would be a need for an explanation about it. And, most importantly, if there’s trouble before the meal, it would make the meal less enjoyable…
I place the big leaper meat that I received as a thank-you into the fridge’s chilled compartment. While at it, I grabbed the milk trout fillet, a bit of rice, salt, pepper, and olive oil from under the sink. I also take out the pot of concentrated broth I made yesterday and place everything near Campy’s door so I can carry it all out when I need it. It would be a shame if some animal got to it while it’s outside. Going back to the kitchen, I grab a cutting board, plates, frying pan, folding mini aluminum table that I will be using as a cooking table, and two folding chairs, then take them out of Campy.
Today’s breakfast will be risotto-style rice gruel with milk trout and carpaccio. I’m making carpaccio instead of sashimi in the earnest wish that the addition of olive oil will make it a little more filling…! Of course, I’ll adjust the flavor so carpaccio can be placed over the rice gruel and eaten together as well.
I hope the meat left on the bones I boiled yesterday to create the broth wasn’t too bland because I want to use it as an ingredient. By the way, I disposed of the organs and bones by simply digging a hole and burying them. Hoping they return to nature.
While I’m at it, I might as well take a look around the lake to see if there are any more ingredients. If there are wild plants growing, I could consider adding them to the gruel.
With such expectations in mind, as I approach the nearby water source, there is an abundance of "wild plants." These were zeseri. When I nibbled on the leaves a bit, it turned out to be grass with a taste and aroma quite similar to celery.
However, near this zeseri grows a very similar-looking poisonous grass called… poisonous zeseri. According to Survival, it contains a plant-based neurotoxin that can potentially kill if consumed…
“Oh, you are so capable, Survival!”
These two plants are so similar that it is almost impossible for an amateur to tell them apart! But as expected, poisonous grass means nothing to Survival!
Since celery roots are delicious, zeseri which tastes similar should be delicious too, so I uprooted them and piled high in a basket I brought with me. I’ll use half for breakfast. I think it’ll be tasty in the gruel. For lunch, I’ll quickly boil them and make a chilled salad or something. Crispy and fragrant, it should be tasty.
With such anticipation, I return from the waterside and start the prep work, and it seems Mr. Ville also comes back. He looks sullenly at the mountain of zeseri, but when I mention that there’s fish too, he quickly cheers up. But the next moment his face becomes serious and he asks "Can I eat too?" When I replied "Of course, because you’re my companion!" he happily thanked me.
Mr. Ville is an easy-to-understand person.
Since he split some large driftwood into firewood, I ignited a fire in the grill. With only large driftwood left around here that I couldn’t use yesterday, it was a great help.
As soon as the fire stabilizes a bit, I place the mesh and frying pan on top of it, first stir-frying the rice in olive oil. Ideally, adding garlic or ginger here would make it more delicious, but sadly they weren’t in the fridge. Since those seasonings preserve well, I’ll try finding them at a market in some town or village.
Once the rice becomes translucent, I add a pinch of salt and pepper, along with milk trout broth, flaked meat from the bones, and a little soy sauce. I then move it to low heat, allowing it to slowly cook. To avoid it getting too sticky from excessive stirring, I only occasionally stir it, making sure not to let the bottom burn. I intentionally don’t put the lid on so moisture can evaporate while simmering.
Meanwhile, I thinly slice the chilled milk trout and arrange it on a plate. Just one fish makes a considerable amount. I top it with the tender zeseri leaves, then sprinkle salt, pepper, and olive oil, and the carpaccio-style salad is done!
Mr. Ville’s eyes keep peeking this way. Based on the audible rumbling from his stomach, he seems quite hungry.
When the rice softened, I added the chopped zeseri, briefly simmered it, and it’s finished! It’s not really risotto since it has more moisture and isn’t al dente, but since I stir-fried the rice, it’s risotto "style" gruel.
I hand the eagerly awaiting Mr. Ville a bowl filled with plenty of gruel and a spoon. Since chopsticks might be challenging to use, I included a serving spoon and fork for the milk trout carpaccio-style salad.
“I’m grateful to have food again today.”
“Itadakimasu!”
With our individual prayers and words before the meal, now, let’s eat!
The well-cooked gruel is thick, almost like a starchy soup, with plenty of richness. After cooling it well and taking a spoonful, the gentle sweetness of the rice and milk trout spreads throughout my mouth. Perhaps because the ingredients are fresh, there’s absolutely no fishiness. Using alcohol when making the broth and soy sauce for seasoning probably helped too. It’s lightly flavored but the broth still comes through, leaving no unsatisfied feeling.
Although it is supposed to be the leftover bits remaining after making the broth, it is surprising to find that when you bite into the meat, the umami flavor spreads from deep within. The roasted zeseri is so aromatic, and within the pleasantly thick rice gruel that can sometimes become heavy, it’s surprisingly refreshing and delicious. Its crispy texture feels especially nice among the soft gruel!
The carpaccio-style salad too… Yes! No complaints, crazy delicious! Because there’s absolutely no fishiness or rawness.
The moment it enters the mouth, the subtly sweet milk trout fat gently spreads over the tongue, followed by the delayed melting saltiness of unrefined salt. The vividly aromatic zeseri and the refreshing olive oil elegantly bring everything together.
Despite being thinly sliced, the texture is surprisingly firm, offering a crunchy sensation… or rather, a chewy one… it is elastic, pushing back against the teeth. Imagine the texture of flounder sashimi, but a bit firmer—does that convey the sensation?
Since it softens when mixed with the hot gruel, the half-raw flesh falls apart fluffily in my mouth.
“Yeah. I have to say, this turned out pretty well… Oh um…”
“R-Rin…! Um, sorry to bother you, but could I have seconds…?”
“No problem! Eat as much as you want!”
Oh wow. I made something pretty delicious if I do say so myself… As I was self-praising, Mr. Ville timidly handed over the empty bowl as if he were somewhat afraid. Since I used a deep frying pan, there's still plenty of gruel left, and lots of carpaccio too… We should be able to eat our fill. As I serve more gruel into Mr. Ville and my bowls, I gaze at the gradually brightening sky.
Contrary to the feeling of being unable to come to terms with future life, the sky is high, perfectly clear, and blue.
The translator's corner
I’ve never tried flounder, so I don’t know what it tastes like.
Making me want risotto fr 🫠
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