Chapter Sixty-eight: Aiming for a Feast of Rich Delicacies!
For now, I’ll just shove the pile of mysteriously well-chilled meat, fish, and vegetables into the fridge. No way I can cook that entire haul right away! The only thing I’ll keep out that could be useful for today’s menu is that stalactite wasabi.
“Alright, I’ll roast the steak! We can eat once the meat is done.”
“Meat! Meeeaat!”
“That slab-like cut, right? I can’t wait to see how it turns out!”
“Ah, that’s right. Could you all get the plates and such ready while you can? I’ll be fully occupied roasting the meat shortly…”
The cheers at the mention of "meat" cut off abruptly once I said "roasting." After a momentary silence, everyone shoots up like they were spring-loaded, grabbing plates, and pulling veggies from the fridge, their eyes alight as they leap into motion.
The power of meat is incredible!
While Mr. Ville and the rest bustle about, I’ll take on this thick-cut steak!
…Not that it’s anything more than just salting, peppering, and roasting, but that "just roasting" part is the real trick, you see…
“First, cut the sinew, then rub salt and pepper on both sides…”
“Rin, what are you going to do with this chunk of meat?”
“I’ll slice that up to go with the steak later! I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out too.”
“Rin! Cheese! Can we have cheese too?”
“You’re welcome to have some, as long as you leave enough. It’s delicious with apple slices as well.”
I cut away the excess fat and trim the sinew to prevent shrinking while speaking up. I can’t stop my hands, but I have enough leeway to talk! I called out to Mr. Ville idly pacing with the foil-wrapped meat chunk, and pointed Ms. Aria towards the veggie basket with apples now that she’s eagerly retrieved a white mold-ripened cheese like camembert from the fridge. Thinly sliced apples with camembert or cream cheese drizzled with a bit of honey are delicious…
…Oh, but I forgot to buy honey! Well, apples and cheese alone are still tasty, so no worries!
Meanwhile, I heat up a thick pan… and start searing from the sides. If I start searing such a thick cut from the wide surface, the juices will just drain right out the sides… so I’ll create a seal around the edges first before cooking the wide sides!
I deliberately don’t use oil. The sirloin part has enough fat, so it should melt out on its own. So, I start by searing the sirloin side in the pan!
Juwaaaa! The lively sizzle accompanies hot oil beading up from the fat cap, pooling in the pan. I hold the meat with tongs to keep it from falling over, but the pepper grains and dripping juices crackle and spit at me from the scorching heat! But thinking of it as a necessary step for delicious frying, it’s no pain at all!
I sear the surface on high heat, then slowly cook it on low heat… turning the meat to cook the raw places when needed… repeating this to sear the whole ring. The sweet smell of fat and the savory aroma of frying meat fill the kitchen, creating an irresistibly appetizing scent.
But it’s not over yet! Before searing the wide sides, I’ll add butter to these luscious meat juices!
“What an aroma… I could drink wine just with this alone.”
“I’d have a glass if we weren’t in the middle of a dungeon run.”
“With you guys, one glass would hardly be enough.”
“…Ville, you can’t talk either…”
With most preparations done, the idle members gather around the stove.
Well… I can’t quite call it a bother, but having such tall folks peering over my shoulder from behind… it kind of… triggers my… complex, I guess…?
…
I’m not short!! Just a bit… a tiny bit below average height!!!
Argh, dammit! I was trying to savor the rich, buttery aroma, but now…!
Refusing to be felled by that harsh reality, I sear the thick steak’s wide sides. Pretty thick cut, so maybe two minutes over high heat to get that sear, then five over low to cook through…? As the meat sizzles nicely, I scoop and pour the mixed fat and meat juices over it with a spoon, preventing the surface from drying and giving it a nice shine and gloss!
Once one side’s done, I’ll flip it and repeat…
“Alright! Now, just let it rest for about 10 minutes and it’s done! Meanwhile, I’ll boil down the meat juices with red wine and grate this stalactite wasabi…”
“It’s pretty pungent… is it alright?”
“The fat should neutralize the spiciness from any wasabi I know, so it’ll be fine!”
I add leftover red wine to the golden meat juices and fat in the pan and simmer it down a bit… now to prepare the wasabi seasoning…! I scrub it clean with a brush to remove the dirt, peel it slightly, wipe off the moisture… and grate it on a fine grater! Ideally, I’d use a Sharkskin grater, but even the well-stocked Campy’s kitchen doesn’t have one.
The spiciness of wasabi is volatile, so I’ll grate it all at once then freeze whatever’s left!
The nostril-tingling aroma makes Mr. Ville, who’s peering over my hands, flinch a bit and stare at me, but beef, wasabi, and soy sauce are a match made in heaven, so no worries! Grating away without pause, I try giving him a subtle thumbs up, but his complexion still looks rather ghastly.
…To intimidate our battle-hardened leader… just how potent is this stalactite wasabi?!
Meanwhile, I flip the resting steak to let the juices distribute evenly!
The meat, with its overall dark sear and caramelized spots of meat juice, emits a tantalizing aroma of butter mixed with juices that tickles the stomach.
…I think it’s ready? It looks ready, right?
With eight expectant eyes shining, the steak plate took its place beside the roast beef at the center of the table.
“The steak is done! Let’s eat!”
Amid a chorus of ravenous cries, I gently grasp the well-maintained carving knife.
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