Chapter 184: Burgundy Red Wine-Braised Beef
As Hiroki entered the kitchen, he was greeted by a pristine and well-organized setup, creating an atmosphere free from any hint of greasiness. Mrs. Kasumigaoka, who had been waiting in the background, quickly approached him.
"How did it go? Did you pass the evaluation?" she inquired.
Hiroki shook his head, his disappointment evident. "No, I failed."
Mrs. Kasumigaoka's disappointment was profound, and the assisting chefs shared in her dismay.
"But this young man... Hikigaya-kun has secured another chance for me."
"As long as he can prepare a dish of Beef Bourguignon within an hour, we can pass this star rating evaluation."
Hiroki managed a strained smile, well aware of the seemingly insurmountable task before him.
"How is that possible? If you make this dish from scratch, it would take at least 2 to 3 hours. How can you complete it in just one hour?" one of the chefs exclaimed, appearing disheartened.
"Yeah, it's evidently an impossible task," Mrs. Kasumigaoka conceded, offering solace to her husband.
"Let's forget it this time and reapply next year."
"Mom, Dad, don't worry. If Hachiman says he can do it, then he most certainly can," Utaha reassured, approaching her parents with a smile on her face.
Upon witnessing their daughter's unwavering confidence, both Mr. and Mrs. Kasumigaoka were surprised.
"But doesn't Hikigaya-kun only have a rudimentary understanding of cooking?" Mrs. Kasumigaoka inquired, somewhat perplexed.
"That's just his modesty; don't take it to heart, Mom," Utaha replied, casting a glance at Hachiman, who was now dressed in an apron and a chef's hat.
"This guy's culinary skills far exceed Dad's."
"Oh, is that so..."
Their daughter's words sparked a glimmer of hope in Mr. and Mrs. Kasumigaoka.
Hachiman, now ready, approached Chef Kasumigaoka to make a request.
"Could Chef Kasumigaoka please assist me in preparing the ingredients for the Beef Bourguignon?"
"Ah, of course."
Chef Kasumigaoka sprang into action, swiftly instructing several assisting chefs to gather and prepare the necessary ingredients.
In no time, the chefs had the beef, bacon strips, potatoes, onions, carrots, and other cleaned ingredients ready.
After ensuring his hands were clean, Hachiman nodded as he surveyed the ingredients on the counter. Then, he turned his gaze toward Hisako and Erina on the other side.
"Erina, I'm about to begin."
"Hmph, I'd like to see how you can complete this dish in just one hour."
Erina, as haughty as ever, turned her head and paid him no further attention.
Seeing her reaction, Hachiman found it amusing and shifted his attention to the two large pieces of freshly thawed beef on the counter, which were evidently the main ingredients.
Hachiman examined the beef, assuring himself of its high quality.
He firmly placed one of the large beef pieces onto the cutting board, then skillfully wielded a chef's knife, instinctively channeling his "Kendo" skill module.
In the blink of an eye, the beef on the cutting board was masterfully divided into several uniformly sized pieces, with the removal of any sinews executed with ease.
Head Chef Kasumigaoka and several assisting chefs observed in amazement.
"Isn't this knife work exceptionally extraordinary?" one of them whispered.
"Actually, besides his culinary skills, Hachiman is a proficient Kendo practitioner. He claimed the men's division championship at last year's Kendo Inter-High School Championship and even holds the title of Swordsmaster, a rare achievement in the entire Japanese Kendo Community," Utaha explained, her tone filled with pride.
Women tend to boast about their boyfriends, whether it's about wealth, intelligence, strength, or achievements.
Upon learning of Hachiman's remarkable accomplishments, Mr. and Mrs. Kasumigaoka exchanged glances, their expressions reflecting astonishment. They had no inkling that their daughter's boyfriend possessed such exceptional talents.
The title of Swordsmaster held profound significance, even to those less familiar with Kendo.
It represented the pinnacle of the entire Japanese Kendo community.
Our Swordsmaster had just completed the preparation of the beef and moved on to handle the bacon strips. After deftly removing the skin, he expertly cut them into uniform pieces.
With his Kendo skills nearly perfected, Hachiman's knife work was a mesmerizing spectacle.
He carefully arranged the cut bacon into the pot, then fetched kitchen paper to wrap the beef pieces, diligently squeezing out any excess moisture.
After thawing, beef tends to release a considerable amount of moisture. Retaining moisture in a beef dish is a cardinal sin, as it hinders the proper browning of the beef. Therefore, removing excess moisture is of utmost importance.
With the main ingredient, the beef, prepared, Hachiman moved on to handle the onions, potatoes, carrots, and other supplementary ingredients. Once again, his impressive knife work transformed these ingredients into the desired shapes.
He preheated the oven and took out a skillet. Pouring olive oil into the skillet, he began to fry the bacon strips.
Silently calculating the frying time with precision down to every second, Hachiman retrieved the bacon once it achieved a rich, golden-brown color.
After removing the bacon, the skillet still held the rendered pork fat from frying. Hachiman picked up a piece of beef with tongs and placed it in the skillet to sear.
Sizzling sounds filled the air as he continuously flipped the beef pieces, ensuring each side turned into a beautiful deep brown.
Once the beef chunks were seared, Hachiman added the pre-cut onions and carrot slices to the skillet, stir-frying for about a minute. This gave the vegetables a golden oil sheen on their surfaces.
When all of this was well-prepared, Hachiman placed the seared beef chunks and bacon into a cast-iron Dutch oven, along with the freshly sautéed carrots, onions, and other vegetables. Lastly, he casually added a pinch of salt and pepper.
You know, Asian chefs often season their dishes in a similar manner, with terms like "a bit," "as needed," and specific amounts depending on the chef's estimation.
"Hey, hey, is it really okay to season it so casually?" one of the assisting chefs hesitantly questioned upon seeing Hachiman's seasoning style.
"It should be... fine!" another chef muttered quietly.
After adding the salt and pepper, the next critical step followed.
Adding flour!
Hachiman took a handful of flour and gently sprinkled it evenly over the beef and vegetables in the skillet, creating a white layer that would help lock in the beef's moisture and thicken the broth.
*Ding!*
At this moment, the oven was also preheated. Without covering the cast-iron oven, Hachiman placed it in the oven and heated it for 4 minutes, then removed it and added another sprinkle of flour before baking it for an additional 4 minutes.
Upon taking the cast-iron oven out of the oven for the second time, the kitchen was already filled with the delightful aroma. However, the dish was not yet complete.
Hachiman poured red wine, beef broth, canned tomatoes, and added chopped herbs such as parsley and thyme into the oven. Lastly, he poured in a bit of water, heating it over high heat until it boiled.
After boiling in the oven, the pot was placed back in the oven for another thirty minutes.
During this time, Hachiman continued to work on the side dishes. In a sauté pan, he sautéed the pre-cut onions and mushrooms in butter, adding a pinch of black pepper for seasoning and cooking them until they turned brown.
Thirty minutes quickly passed, and with a *ding*, Hachiman poured the finished dish into a clean container, using a spoon to skim off the foam and excess fat from the surface of the broth.
He poured the processed broth and beef back into a new cast-iron oven, finally adding the sautéed mushrooms and onions on top before continuing to simmer.
Once it reached a boil, it was time for plating.
Hachiman served the dish, and once again, he picked up a chef's knife, a silver flash followed, and he sprinkled the chopped parsley on top of the plated dish.
"OK, it's done."
The timing was impeccable, stopping at precisely 59 minutes and 59 seconds.