Chapter 55 Going to the Capital (Part 2)
Andre naturally had his own way. He asked Jiangyou to process the fish first, and then he dived into the forest and disappeared.
Jiang You scratched her head, got into the carriage, changed into a chef's uniform, and got off the carriage with a portable snack stand. She walked back and forth several times, took out the casserole, kitchen utensils, seasonings and fried tofu, and prepared to kill the fish for lunch.
She had a sudden inspiration and brought some fried tofu with her when she went out this morning. After being fried, it can be kept for a longer time than ordinary tofu. It can be used as food on the road and as a rare commodity in the capital. Drinking a bowl of fish head fried tofu soup while camping is even more delicious.
The three fish were meticulously scaled, gutted, and cleaned. The inedible gills and viscera were carefully removed, leaving only the chewy stomach and maw, which were then opened and cleaned. The heads of two of the fish were removed and placed in a casserole. The third fish, after being gutted, was rubbed with salt and securely skewered on two roasting skewers.
Jericho had already lit a bonfire, so Takumiu placed the grill near it. Fish grilled over such a bonfire had a unique flavor. Takumiu was also a very ritualistic person; she believed that camping was a must, especially with freshly grilled food. It was a shame there were no marshmallows back then, or else she would have made some barbecued chocolate marshmallows with cookies.
This time she traveled, she brought a large all-purpose Chinese iron pot. She filled the pot with water, placed a steaming rack on it, and brought it to a boil over high heat.
Next, Jiangyou put ginger and cut fish into the plate, poured cooking wine and soy sauce on it, and added a spoonful of fermented black beans. When he saw the water in the steamer boiling, he put the fish plate in, covered the pot, and waited for the fish to cook.
On the other empty stove, place a clay pot, heat it up, pour in oil, add slices of ginger and sauté until fragrant, then add the fish head and fry until slightly browned. Then pour in boiling water to make a pot of milky white soup.
Just then, Andrei returned with a bundle of lotus roots and an armful of wild vegetables. His hair was wet, and his tight-fitting vest was stained with mud, as if he had been in the water. This powerful viscount, who was about to acquire a territory, didn't care. He put the lotus roots in the sink of the snack bar and washed his muddy face and head.
"Wow, this is a really good lotus root!" Jiang You casually touched a lotus root, broke it in half, and pulled out long threads. "It's crispy! Really good!"
In midsummer, lotus roots have begun to mature. The lotus roots at this time are early summer lotus roots with low starch content. They are crispy, tender and juicy, and are very good for cold salads, stir-fries, and soups.
Jiangyou personally feels that this crispy lotus root is very suitable for cooking fish soup. It can add a refreshing taste to the fish soup. It is "crunchy" in the mouth and is particularly chewy, with a very summery flavor.
In her opinion, the soft, sticky lotus roots of autumn are more suitable for stewing with pig's feet or dried cuttlefish. The lotus roots of this season make soups with a pinkish-brown color, appearing rich and flavorful, with the wood-fired aroma of traditional autumn and winter soups.
The ancients emphasized eating in accordance with the seasons, choosing ingredients and cooking methods that followed the cycle of the seasons. This approach was both healthy and appropriate to the season, creating a sense of ritual. Jiangyou also enjoys this seasonal lifestyle, enjoying the beauty and delicious food of the moment.
She picked a few lotus roots, washed them, quickly peeled them, and sliced them into slices, adding them to the bubbling fish broth. She glanced at the time, extinguished the fire in the steamer next door, took out the fish dish, removed the steaming rack, poured out the excess juices from the dish and the boiling water in the pot, and then heated a spoonful of oil in the pot.
Put shredded green onion on the steamed fish, pour hot oil on it, and with a sizzling sound, the fragrance will overflow. The wonderful fish fragrance, combined with the fragrance of green onion and oil, will go straight into people's noses.
Jericho the cat poked his head out, looking anxious: "Can I eat now?"
"Serve it to the table first." Jiang You said, and went to the campfire to turn the grilled fish over. The fish meat on the grilled side was white with yellow, and the fish skin and fins had a burnt aroma, and it smelled very tempting.
It will take some time to grill the fish, and the fish soup in the casserole is about to take shape. Jiangyou put the fried tofu into the casserole, covered the pot again, adjusted the stove, and waited for the ingredients to be finally blended with the soup.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, she cleaned the purslane that Andre had picked, soaked it in salt water for ten minutes, and then boiled a pot of water and blanched the purslane until it changed color. She removed the emerald green purslane from the pot and immersed it in cold water to cool it down.
She took out a large bowl, put salt, sugar, soy sauce and chili into it, and stirred the sauce evenly.
After the purslane has cooled down and drained of water, put it into a large bowl of sauce and stir. Finally, add sesame oil and the fragrant cold purslane is ready.
The grilled fish was also cooked. Jiangyou asked Jericho to bring these two dishes to the table, and he started to stir-fry the lotus root slices.
Similarly, wash the lotus root, peel it and slice it. Boil a pot of water and add some rice vinegar. Put the lotus root slices in and blanch them for one minute, then remove them and soak them in cold water. Then pour out the hot water in the pot, pour in oil, heat it, add ginger, garlic and millet pepper to stir-fry, then add the lotus root slices and stir-fry. Then just simply season with soy sauce and salt, and add chopped green onions before removing from the pot.
After the lotus root slices were fried, the fish soup was almost ready. Jiangyou added seasonings to the soup, tasted the saltiness, and smiled with satisfaction at his own cooking skills.
"It's time to eat!" She turned off the fire on the stove and walked to the carriage with the casserole.
There is a simple dining table here, with a movable structure on the table top and legs, which can be easily opened and closed. Now, the table is full of dishes.
Jericho and Andre sat obediently at the table. The tableware had been laid out. As usual, they had done all the chores and were waiting in a proper manner for the chef to come to the table.
Jiang You placed the pot of fish soup on the empty space in the middle of the table and announced, "Eat!"
So the knight and the attendant immediately took action. Andrei first scooped a bowl of soup for Jiangyou, while Jericho served her the best piece of steamed fish. Then they began to fill their own bowls and plates with dishes.
Jiangyou really likes this kind of atmosphere. It is a harmonious dining time. In front of him is the vast lake, under his feet is the soft grass, he feels the oncoming summer breeze, and his mouth sips the delicious fish soup, crispy lotus root, tender fish, oily fried tofu... There is nothing more appropriate than eating lake fish and lotus root by the lake!
The white fish caught in this lake indeed has a unique taste, with few bones, tender meat, and a wonderful fragrance. Jiang You had never seen such a fish in her previous life, but this did not prevent her from enjoying the delicacy that belonged only to this world.
The cold purslane was refreshing, with a fresh, wild aroma of summer and a hint of sourness, very similar to the wild vegetables she had eaten in her previous life, with a smooth and tender texture. The stir-fried lotus root slices and the lotus root slices in fish soup each had their own delicious flavors. Even Jiang You couldn't help but eat several bowls of soul fire, and she was so full that she was burping.
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