Chapter 82 Braised Duck Products
Chapter 82 Braised Duck Products
When people are doing what they love, they don't feel tired. Even if they are tired, the satisfaction and excitement will overshadow and mask it, so much so that they may not even realize it themselves.
Wang Sumo experimented little by little with the proportions of ingredients in the brine, and it took him a long time just to pick out the dry ingredients.
Once the proportions were right according to my nose, I took another cloth bag and put the spices into it.
The braised dishes from Dongshu are not spicy; they are mainly salty and fragrant.
The premise is to heat the pan and stir-fry the salt and sugar until they change color, using the wok's heat to bring out the flavor of the sugar and salt before adding water. Then, add a few bowls of water to the pot, and then put in a muslin bag containing special spices.
Once the water boils and the braising liquid has a salty taste, take a small sip to confirm whether the flavor of the braising ingredients you just prepared is right after rinsing.
A mature recipe requires repeated trials and adjustments.
Wang Sumo added the new seasoning on a whim. Even the most skilled chef has a small chance of getting the flavor just right on the first try.
Wang Sumo frowned slightly, her expression not as pleasant as before.
Zhao Tong knew she was not satisfied with the new brine.
Wang Sumo started over.
To be honest, Zhao Tong had seen very few female chefs in the kitchen, but whether they were female or male chefs, few were as serious and meticulous as Wang Sumo.
Zhao Tong did not disturb them.
It seems the owner won't stop until he finds at least one satisfactory braising liquid today.
The duck is almost ready for marinating.
It's time to drizzle with sugar syrup.
Zhao Tong changed to a small pot, added some maltose and water, mainly for coating with sauce, not for a thick layer, and not too much maltose, just enough for color and flavor.
Once the syrup is cooked, place the duck on top of the small pot and pour it over it spoonfully, ensuring it is evenly coated.
Ducks coated in sugar syrup cannot be put into the oven.
After the duck is coated with sugar syrup, it should be hung to dry properly.
This process wasn't difficult for Zhao Tong; what was more important was his pleasant mood, and he even enjoyed the cool night breeze coming through the kitchen window.
The kitchen was his roast duck oven.
He could see at a glance that the fire was gradually growing stronger, and the timing was perfect.
Looking back, Wang Sumo had already quickly started another pot of braising liquid, and after taking a small sip, he was still not satisfied and decided to cook it again.
Zhao Tong couldn't help but lower his head and smile.
Wang Sumo switched to the third batch of brine.
The two ducks on Zhao Tong's side are almost dried and ready to be put into the roast duck oven.
The previous manager had given detailed instructions on the temperature of the roast duck oven.
It wasn't difficult for him, a skilled cook in the kitchen.
The challenge is to keep a close eye on it, turning it around constantly to prevent it from burning or charring, but to ensure it's crispy.
This really tests a chef's experience.
Therefore, Zhao Tong expected that this time the fruitwood-roasted duck wouldn't be too good, but it wouldn't be bad either.
Zhao Tong watched the roast duck oven closely, never leaving its side throughout the entire process.
I held onto the pole with the hook at the front that the shopkeeper had given me, adjusting the roast duck's color according to the hissing sound of the oven and the changing colors of the roast duck.
In the kitchen, Wang Sumo changed the brine for the fifth time, and a faint smile finally appeared in her eyes.
It's better than just passable, and it will get better with adjustments. At least for now, she thinks it's good enough to include duck necks, wings, and feet.
Outside the kitchen, Zhao Tong also heard the sound of ducks being unloaded behind him.
Zhao Tong didn't turn around, but he also laughed.
I was inexplicably brought into this world of martial arts, and only today have I suddenly felt a sense of kinship with someone I know.
Zhao Tong's attention returned to the roast duck in front of him, while Wang Sumo began to finish up the other dishes.
Many leafy greens become tough when stir-fried, but if you blanch them first, they will retain their original color. When you stir-fry them after blanching, the greens will have a beautiful color.
Two bunches of greens, one stir-fried.
Another one, boiled.
With more people and more flavors, having two different kinds of vegetables in two different flavors provides more options.
The vegetables were plated, and the lid of the lotus root soup was lifted. The sweetness of the lotus root and the aroma of the tender pork ribs wafted out, and before Wang Sumo knew it, she was hungry.
When the soup is simmered for a while, the milky white color turns pink, and the flavor of the lotus root is all in the soup.
Wang Sumo took a bite, and it was so delicious!
Fortunately, I had stocked up on a lot of lotus roots in Huzhen. Since they weren't cut in half, they were less muddy and would stay fresh longer.
Wang Sumo glanced at the oven and saw that Zhao Tong's ducks were about to be ready.
The timing was perfect.
Wang Sumo ladled out the soup and turned to call Bai Cen to serve the dishes, only managing to say, "Bai..."
Bai Cen stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the kitchen doorway: "Boss, everyone's in position~"
Wang Sumo suddenly felt that Bai Cen looked reassuring from this angle, even though he was probably the least reliable and steady one.
Bai Cen served the dishes and asked the old man and old man Weng to arrange the table and chairs.
Zhu Yu, Lao Liu, and Liu Che were also busy helping out.
"Should the cucumber be shredded or cut into strips?" Wang Sumo finished her work, and Zhao Tong's task was also completed.
"Master, cut it into thin strips, slightly thicker than shreds, so it's chewy."
Zhao Tong's description was accurate, and Wang Sumo understood. In fact, Wang Sumo's knife skills were second to none among chefs, but Zhao Tong's were better.
The sweet bean sauce usually takes time to make, but since this is the first time making fruitwood-roasted duck, I might not have the time or energy to make the sweet bean sauce, so I just packed some from the shopkeeper.
The water had been prepared in advance, and Wang Sumo heated the sweet bean sauce in the bowl slightly using a double boiler.
Finally, the fruitwood-roasted duck with a crispy and fragrant crust was ready.
"Wow!" Bai Cen saw the first fruitwood-roasted duck, its skin golden and crispy, hanging out of the oven from afar. "Old Zhao, that's impressive!"
Although his smile looked worse than his tears, Zhao Tong couldn't remember how many times he had laughed that day.
Doing what he loves brings a strange kind of happiness, a happiness so profound that he hadn't thought of laughing in the past ten or twenty years, and it seems to be changing little by little.
The marrow cleansing process changed his appearance, height, physique, and meridians, transforming him from someone with no bone structure advantages into a martial arts genius with extraordinary bone structure. However, his temperament also changed drastically.
It's not that he doesn't want to laugh, it's just that his changed mindset has made him lose the urge to laugh.
But today, he seems to be gradually finding his way back.
"Oh, Alliance Leader Zhao, how do you eat this?" Zhu Yu asked, both hungry and curious.
His mouth watered as soon as the lotus root and pork rib soup and braised duck were served.
Although the villagers in Liu Village are all kind, I've never actually tasted any good food.
This trip to Bazhenlou feels like opening a completely new door.
The most eye-catching thing at the gate is Zhao Mengzhu's roast duck.
Along the way, everyone made way for his oven, but once it came out of the oven, the color alone was enough to make anyone's mouth water.
He wished he could just go up and tear off a whole duck leg and gnaw on it.
Grandpa Weng reached out and ruffled his hair, "Eat, eat, eat! All you do all day is eat!"
From the moment Grandpa Weng sealed the outlet of his water tank, Zhu Yu's aura in Grandpa Weng's presence diminished considerably.
Although Grandpa Weng had poured boiling water on him, it's hard to describe the feeling—it was clearly a prank, but he wasn't actually being bullied...
He couldn't quite explain it, but Grandpa Weng just liked to tease him.
Old Liu and Liu Che couldn't help but laugh.
"Old Zhao, how do we eat this duck? Just bite into it?" Bai Cen's throat was practically sticking out a hand.
Grandpa Weng and Grandpa Qu were seniors and were a little embarrassed to ask, but they were secretly staring wide-eyed in amazement. Good heavens! Zhao Tong actually knows this!
And what's worse, it looks delicious!
Neither Old Master Weng nor Old Master Qu uttered a sound, both feigning composure for fear that the other would see their covetousness.
Bai Cen felt caught in an eerie atmosphere, with a sense that he might not feel quite at ease while eating.
Just then, Wang Sumo arrived, bringing sweet bean sauce and cucumber strips as a side dish.
“It goes well with this!” Wang Sumo noticed the hand in Bai Cen’s throat at a glance.
"Cucumber?!" Bai Cen exclaimed in surprise. Cucumber with roast duck, and dipped in this sauce?
Wang Sumo nodded.
"Alright..." Bai Cen reluctantly said, "But, if it's not cut open, how... how are we supposed to eat it? With our hands?"
Zhao Tong had already brought over the washed cutting board, and everyone turned their attention to him. They saw Zhao Tong gently press his left hand on the duck's body, and with his right hand, almost like a magician, he sliced off a few small pieces from the back at a horizontal angle, and then placed them on the empty plate in front of him.
"Freshly cut! Oh! This is so fresh, isn't it, Grandpa?" In any case, Bai Cen was delighted to see this.
The old man ignored him.
But Weng He was knowledgeable and experienced, and said, "His knife skills are first-rate."
It's really not easy to make such a thin and beautifully shaped sheet.
"Crispy and fragrant, paired with cucumber to cut through the richness." Weng He nodded. "I've heard of this kind of meal before, but this is the first time I've tried it."
The others nodded in agreement.
Here, Wang Sumo and Grandpa Weng must be the best eaters. When Grandpa Weng said this, everyone else chimed in.
Everyone took a piece in turn, then dipped it in the sauce with the cucumber. Yes, the taste and texture were indeed novel and fresh, crispy but not greasy, and with the sweetness of cucumber.
Wang Sumo slowly took a bite.
While others tasted the flavor, Wang Sumo first tasted the texture.
The outer skin is so crispy; if you overcook it, it will burn, and if you undercook it, you won't get this crispiness. Ducks are naturally fatty, so the roasted skin should be greasy, but it's complemented by the refreshing aroma of fruitwood in the inner layer, along with the texture of cucumber, creating a perfectly balanced flavor.
It's delicious!
Wang Sumo's gaze lingered for a moment, then a sudden thought struck her, and she realized something was missing. She quickly got up and went back to the kitchen.
"Hey, girl!" The old man didn't know where she was running off to. He'd been busy for so long, so he just told Bai Cen to go get it.
But Wang Sumo had already come back from the previous round, carrying a jar of white sugar, which she poured into a dish next to her: "If you add another layer of the coarse sweetness of white sugar on top of the crispiness, the flavor will be even richer."
"Really?" Weng was the first to pick up a piece of duck skin, dip it in white sugar, and then taste it with cucumber.
Good heavens!
The moment Grandpa Weng took the first bite, he felt a delightful sensation on his lips and teeth. He truly hadn't expected the sugar to cause such a significant change.
Seeing that Grandpa Weng looked satisfied, we couldn't let him fall behind.
After everyone at the table finished eating, most people thought the duck tasted better with white sugar; but whether dipped or not, the fruitwood-roasted duck was delicious.
Wang Sumo looked at Zhao Tong: "Brother Zhao, you haven't tried it yet!"
"Oh right, Lao Zhao, stop cutting! Come on!" Bai Cen stepped forward. How could Zhao Tong be missing at a time like this? Zhao Tong didn't refuse. After preparing for so long, he closed his eyes and fell silent after taking this bite.
This is the most fulfilling moment for him in the past ten or twenty years.
"Delicious." Zhao Tong nodded in agreement.
Bai Cen put his arm around his shoulder and chuckled, "The sous chef's signature dish is ready, shouldn't we celebrate!"
Everyone was laughing together at the octagonal table.
Zhu Yu was the glutton; he rummaged through the entire table.
"What are you thinking about?" Seeing Wang Sumo lost in thought, Zhu Yu sighed softly, "Miss Wang, I was thinking~ I love eating pancakes the most. If you put a thin, steaming pancake on top, dip the duck skin in sauce and sugar, wrap it with cucumber strips, and roll it all up, wouldn't every bite taste like delicious fruitwood-roasted duck, and also the flavor of the pancake?"
After Zhu Yu finished speaking, Wang Sumo and Zhao Tong exchanged a glance, a tacit understanding only a head chef and a sous chef could share.
Steaming thin pancakes rolled with crispy, caramelized fruitwood-roasted duck—
I have to say, it seems quite appealing...
[Author's Note]
See you tomorrow~
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