Xu Qinyu was cleaning pig intestines at this moment. She was going to make pig intestines fish and glutinous rice pig intestines later, so she had to clean the pig intestines first. Because she was going to cook it for Xu Kongmu's superior at his house, Xu Qinyu did not use wood ash to wash the pig intestines, but used a little flour and Huadiao wine. In fact, wood ash itself is very clean, but she was still afraid that the nobleman would dislike it, so she did not use wood ash.
Pei Weixuan was helping her kill fish.
There are mandarin fish and silver carp.
She plans to cook silver carp and pig intestines together to make pig intestine fish.
For mandarin fish, we can make the squirrel mandarin fish dish that they eat during the Chinese New Year. It is a Suzhou dish and is also very impressive.
Xu Yunlan held her nephew in her arms and stood by the entrance of the hanging flower gate, watching the pretty young lady washing the pig intestines. She hesitated for a moment, then carried Xiger into the yard. Standing closer, she could still smell the stench of sewage. Xu Yunlan's personality was like her father's, not like a girl at all. She didn't mind it at all, but it made Xiger frown and he kept pulling at her clothes and calling in a baby voice, "Aunt, aunt..."
Xu Qinyu was amused by the child and said to the girl standing next to her, "Girl, you can stand at the kitchen door, you won't be able to smell anything there."
Xu Yunlan pursed her lips and smiled, then stood at the kitchen door holding Xiger, and indeed, she could no longer smell anything.
She glanced at Pei Weixuan again, then quickly retracted her gaze and continued to watch the young lady cooking.
Although this man is very handsome, and there is no other man as handsome as him in Yuanbao Town, it is still more interesting to watch the young lady cook.
She was just very curious about how a young lady of her age cooked.
What's more, it's New Year's Day and she has nowhere to go out and play.
She also has several good friends in Yuanbao Town. The daughter of the county lord who is to be hosted today is her friend. However, today is the day when her father is hosting a banquet for the superiors, so her good friends will not come. Also, it is New Year's Day, and her father does not allow her to go out and bother others. She really doesn't know what to do at home, so she might as well come to the backyard and watch the cook cook.
Xu Qinyu processed the ingredients quickly and skillfully.
There were pork ribs and lotus roots in the kitchen. She washed the fat intestines and processed these two things first. These pork ribs were not the meatless ones she bought. They were topped with thick pork leg meat. She planned to make a lotus root and pork rib soup first. She chopped the pork ribs into several pieces and cut the lotus roots into pieces.
The pork bones are fresh and do not need to be blanched. Boil them in a pot and skim off the tiny bit of foam on top. Finally, pour them into a clay pot, add the chopped lotus roots, and simmer them on the stove over low heat.
This lotus root and pork bone soup does not require any additional seasoning, just an appropriate amount of salt and two slices of ginger. After simmering for more than two hours, the meat on the pork bone melts in the mouth and the lotus root tastes soft and glutinous. This dish can also nourish the spleen and stomach and eliminate stomach cold. It is very suitable for people of all ages.
While Xu Qinyu was cooking, she was also explaining to the girl holding the child how to make the soup and how it tasted.
She guessed that the girl should be Xu Kongmu's daughter. She looked a bit like Xu Kongmu and was also very tall.
Xu Yunlan couldn't help swallowing her saliva just by listening to the young lady talk about how to make this dish and what it tastes like after it is done.
She had been there for half an hour when Xiang came looking for her. Xiang saw that the concubine and granddaughter were nowhere to be seen. She also heard from the maid that the elder sister was carrying Xi Ge'er towards the kitchen, so she knew that the concubine must be curious about the young lady and ran to the kitchen with Xi Ge'er in her arms.
The Xu family originally had a maid who was in charge of the kitchen. Xiang was worried that Miss Xu would not like others watching her cooking and was afraid that someone would learn her cooking skills, so she let the maid do other things.
When Xiang arrived at the kitchen, she saw her daughter standing at the kitchen door holding her grandson.
She came over in a hurry and asked, "Girl, what are you doing in the kitchen?"
As Xiang spoke, she glanced towards the yard. The young lady who cooked was quite pretty, with almond eyes, fair skin, and willow-shaped eyebrows. She was also very skillful at her job. She was processing taro at the moment. The good-looking man next to her should be her husband, as he was laying bricks next to her. It was unknown what he was trying to do. There was also an iron mesh next to her. No one knew what the family used the iron mesh for in the early years. Later, it was thrown into a corner and was no longer used. Now it was cleaned cleanly.
Xiang didn't know what the young lady's husband was doing. Seeing the young lady processing taro, she hesitated. Taro is cheap and is eaten by the family. It is kept in the kitchen. Today, she is entertaining the master and she has prepared a lot of good ingredients. Why is the young lady still processing taro?
"Young lady, what about this taro?" Xiang couldn't help but ask.
Without waiting for Xu Qinyu to answer, Xu Yunlan immediately said: "Mother, I am planning to use this taro to make brown sugar glutinous rice and taro rice cake. I said it tastes fragrant, sweet and sticky." Although she was not quite sure what the word "sticky" meant, it should mean very sticky.
Anyway, she has never eaten it.
When Xiang heard that taro was used to make fresh food, he stopped asking.
I saw Miss Xu's husband still working on tiles, and it looked like he was building a small stove. He even moved the pot of silver-frost charcoal from the kitchen outside and poured it into the small stove, and then took some fire from under another stove to try to light the charcoal.
Xiang didn't understand what was going on.
Xu Yunlan tugged at her mother's clothes, "Mom, the young lady said she wanted to use this to make charcoal grilled lamb chops."
After she finished speaking, she couldn't help swallowing her saliva. Although the young lady didn't tell her the specific method, she felt that it must be delicious just by hearing the name.
Well, this is another fresh food that no one has ever heard of, so Xiang didn't ask any more questions.
Just by smelling the delicious aroma of soup simmering on the small stove, she knew she didn't have to worry.
In fact, she smelled the fragrance before she even reached the kitchen.
That is lotus root and pork rib soup. After it is simmered for another hour, the aroma of the soup can be smelled all over the alley.
Xiang came over to call the girls to go to the front yard so as not to disturb the young lady who was cooking, but Xu Yunlan refused to leave. Xiang was helpless, and seeing that the young lady didn't seem to mind her daughter staying here, she took Xiger away. Xu Yunlan stayed in the kitchen for several hours.
Xu Qinyu quickly prepared all the ingredients.
The mutton was ribs, and the kitchen happened to have spices such as fennel, cumin, bay leaves, star anise, and peppercorns, and even some pepper. The price of pepper can be very different from that of other spices. She also saw an iron mesh at the corner of the yard wall, and she was delighted. She asked Xu Yunlan if the iron mesh could be used. Xu Yunlan naturally said yes, and she thought of charcoal-grilled lamb chops.
It was charcoal grilled. She hadn’t eaten charcoal grilled food for a long time and she missed it.
She had already cleaned the mutton and marinated it with sauce, shredded ginger and scallions, so that she could grill it on the iron grid outside at dinner time.
Other spices are also mixed in proportion to make barbecue ingredients.
There were a lot of lamb chops, so she planned to grill them all at once.
When the time comes, one plate of it will be served at the banquet, and the rest of the women in Xu Kongmu's family can also eat it.
She already knew that the girl's name was Xu Yunlan, and that she was the daughter of Xu Kongmu, with a forthright and sincere personality.
Xu Qinyu has almost processed all the ingredients.
She also soaked the glutinous rice early, but there was not enough time, so she used hot water to soak it.
It was still early for dinner and the dishes would get cold easily once cooked, so she planned to cook them later. There were many pots and stoves in the kitchen, so she could cook several dishes at the same time.
Xu Qinyu brought a small stool and sat in the yard to chat with Xu Yunlan. The two of them seemed to be getting along well.
The aroma of the simmering lotus root soup was so fragrant that it could be smelled throughout the Xu family’s residence. In addition to the aroma of the lotus root soup, there was also a strong meaty aroma, which was the stewed beef tendon.
The piece of beef bought by the Xu family had more tendons, so she stewed it on the stove early in the morning to make a dish of stewed beef tendons.
Seeing that the time was almost up, Xu Qinyu started to get busy.
In addition to lotus root and pork rib soup, charcoal-grilled lamb chops, and stewed beef tendons, there was also the fish with fat intestines that Xu Kongmu specifically requested, a dish of squirrel mandarin fish, and the remaining fish heads of silver carp made into braised fish heads, which tasted more delicious. She planned to make a dish of glutinous rice and fat intestines with the rest. The chicken was also good, with firm meat and tender chicken, not too big, just right for making a fresh and fragrant chicken.
As for the water chestnuts and big river shrimps, she peeled the shrimps and made a dish of stir-fried water chestnuts with shrimps. Although the shrimps were not as big as the various shrimps she eats nowadays, they were very tender and sweet. They only needed to be stir-fried in the pan for a few seconds and then served. They tasted so refreshing and sweet.
There is also a dish of fried black fungus with yam slices.
I also used glutinous rice flour and steamed taro to make brown sugar glutinous rice and taro rice cake as a snack.
How can a banquet be without snacks?
There is also hot and sour soup that is appetizing and refreshing, which was also made for Xu Kongmu at the Xia family before.
There are twelve dishes in total, ten vegetables and two soups.
While the charcoal-grilled lamb chops were being grilled, Xu Yunlan stuck to Xu Qinyu, while Pei Weixuan sat not far away. There was nothing else that needed his help, and there were still two stir-fried dishes that Yu Niang could cook in a short time.
The charcoal-grilled lamb chops were grilled by Xu Qinyu herself. The other dishes were stewed in the pot, and she squatted outside to grill the lamb chops.
The lamb chops were sizzling with oil, the skin was roasted to a golden and shiny color, and the barbecue seasoning was sprinkled on it. Once it was sprinkled on, the aroma became even more stimulating.
Xu Yunlan was squatting beside her. She had been there since the baking started. Her mouth opened a little unconsciously and she felt something dripping down. She wiped her mouth and found some saliva. Xu Yunlan's face turned red and she wiped the corners of her mouth quickly, then ran back to the kitchen to wash her hands, then came out and continued to squat beside the young lady.
When the aroma of the grilled ingredients had spread, Xu Qinyu took a plate and put the lamb chops on it.
Xu Qinyu grilled both lamb chops.
Xu Yunlan asked with shining eyes, "Ms. Xu, do we not need to serve the remaining set?"
Xu Qinyu smiled and said, "Yes, I made too much. You can keep it for later."
Xu Yunlan couldn't help but cheer, staring at the plate of lamb chops eagerly.
Even Mrs. Xiang and her daughter-in-law were attracted by the fragrance and came over, carrying Xiger to the kitchen.
Seeing the fresh food like charcoal grilled lamb chops, Xiang's mouth was watering.
Seeing her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law looking eagerly at the lamb chops, Xiang knew that half of it was reserved for them, so she said, "How about everyone try it first?"
Anyway, the son and the old man will be at the table to eat and drink with the county master in a while, and the women are not allowed to eat and drink at the table, so it’s okay for them to taste the food in the kitchen first.
Xu Yunlan immediately nodded, and her daughter-in-law also nodded slightly.
The charcoal-grilled lamb chops were cut one by one while being marinated, but not completely severed. Xu Qinyu washed her hands, gently pulled off a few lamb chops, and passed one to each person.
Xiang said, "Miss Xu and your husband, please try it too." She was not a stingy person. Since others had prepared such a delicious dish, she should try it together.
Xu Qinyu thanked him and bought one for herself and her fourth brother.
The charcoal-grilled lamb chops have a golden and shiny skin, and all the fat is roasted out. Take a bite while it's still hot, the skin is crispy and the meat inside is tender.
This mutton is not fed with feed, but with grain husks and grass. It is marinated and has neither smell nor greasy, and is really delicious.
Xu Yunlan's eyes widened after taking a bite, she couldn't believe that there was such a delicious thing.
Xiang had a similar expression.
What is she still doubting at this moment? The young lady's craftsmanship is really amazing.
The former county lord has arrived.
The county magistrate Yang Jiarong was about the same age as Xu Kongmu, about 40 years old, slightly plump, and looked quite kind.
As soon as he entered the Xu family, the aroma that the county lord had smelled in the alley became stronger and stronger. He couldn't help but ask, "Did Xu Kongmu's family hire a new chef?"
Xu Kongmu said, "Today we are hosting a banquet for you, sir. I just learned a few days ago that a new chef has excellent cooking skills, so I invited him to come to the mansion to try him out."
Yang Jiarong nodded and didn't ask any more questions. It smelled quite nice, but he didn't know how it tasted. He still had to wait and see.
When the kitchen staff knew that the county master had arrived, Xiang asked the servants to bring the dishes to the front living room.
Xu Qinyu also cooked the last two dishes, stir-fried yam slices with black fungus and stir-fried water chestnuts with shrimps. In another pot, she also prepared hot and sour soup.
By the time the waiter had brought over the dishes in front, her two stir-fried dishes and hot and sour soup were also on the plate.
Finally, I also stewed some soda-steamed meat for Xiger. It was made with eggs and pork loin. The loin was chopped into minced meat and two eggs and a little salt and pepper were added to season it. No other strong-flavored ingredients were needed. Boil the water and steam it over high heat for half a minute. It was fresh and tender, and perfect for children to eat.
All dishes were served hot.
What the Lianxian Taiye was most interested in was the charcoal-grilled lamb chops. It was the first time he had seen such food.
The waiter standing by briefly introduced the dish and also said that it should be eaten by tearing it with hands.
Xu Kongmu's eldest son was also at the table.
The three of them tore a lamb chop, which was so crispy and tender. There were some particles on it, and they didn't know what they were. It was so delicious with the crispy taste of the lamb chop. With a pull, the whole piece of meat and bone came off. Xu Kongmu had eaten the food made by Miss Xu before, and he felt a little tingling after eating this new dish today. It was so fragrant and delicious.
The county magistrate Yang Jiarong praised: "Excellent craftsmanship!"
He was from Jiangzhou, a wealthy place with plenty of fish and rice. Most of the people there lived a good life, and there were many wealthy businessmen. There were more kinds of food, and the chefs were also very skilled.
But even in Jiangzhou, he had never tasted such delicious food.
Xu Kongmu was really thoughtful to find a chef with such skills in this southwestern border area.
Yang Jiarong originally wanted to ask Xu Kongmu about the identity of the chef, and often invite him to cook for the county government in the future.
But when Yang Jiarong thought of his little girl, he immediately stopped thinking about it.
It's not anything else, but he has a little daughter who is really too fat, greedy, and can't control her appetite. This chef has such amazing cooking skills. If he invites her to his house to cook, the little daughter will be even more unable to control her appetite. Wouldn't she get even fatter?
In fact, he also wanted the little girl to lose weight, but it was too difficult. In the past one or two years, the little girl lost weight several times, back and forth, and he just gave her some boiled vegetables to eat. As a result, after ten days and a half months, she could not control her appetite and became even fatter.
In the end, even he and his wife couldn't help but give up.
Yang Jiarong couldn't help but sigh when he thought of this.
At today's table, Yang Jiarong enjoyed the meal more than ever before and was very satisfied.
But Yang Jiarong did not dare to tell his family after he returned, for fear that the young lady would find out and go to the other lady in Xu Kongmu's family to ask about it.
The girls from the two families were good friends and often played together.
Before Xu Qinyu had finished eating, Xiang brought over two small gold ingots, both weighing five taels, making a total of ten taels.
Xu Qinyu took it, thanked Xiang and then went back with her fourth brother.
Xu Yunlan was reluctant to leave. She couldn't cook and didn't have much interest in it. But that didn't stop her from enjoying watching the young lady cook. She felt that watching Miss Xu cook was a pleasure.
Finally, when Xu Yunlan sent Xu Qinyu out, she couldn't help but ask about the young lady's home address. She thought that even if she didn't invite young lady Xu to cook, she could still be friends with young lady Xu. She liked young lady Xu very much, and they could go shopping and play together when they had time in the future.