When people mention Provence, most think of endless fields of deep purple lavender and quaint stone cottages!
But besides the beautiful scenery, Provence also has many unique flavors.
For example:
The flavorful Bouillabaisse.
The rich rosé wine.
The uniquely scented black truffles.
The peculiar garlic mayonnaise sauce.
...
These amazing dishes leave many diners wanting more.
Faced with the dark, ghostly chef Asahi Saiba, the dishes that Sonoka and Taki decided to make were Ratatouille. Yes, the same dish featured in the Disney movie "Ratatouille," also known as:
Provençal vegetable stew!
French cuisine.
Cooking.
Provence.
Dreams.
Challenges.
Countryside.
Childhood.
These are all keywords associated with this dish.
But for Sonoka, this dish also carries many memories.
Although the name Ratatouille suggests a stew, the core technique involves roasting, and the traditional version usually doesn't include meat. However, if someone likes meat, they can add it!
Originally, Ratatouille was a simple home-cooked dish made by farmers in southeastern France. They would throw together whatever vegetables were available and cook them into a stew. Over time, through various improvements, it became a renowned French dish.
Yes!
The process is quite simple.
You only need a few fresh vegetables. Sonoka, for instance, cut eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and carrots into round slices. Taki added potato slices and cucumber.
Then comes the sauce. The vegetable trimmings, along with onions, garlic, bell peppers, etc., are blended into a paste using a food processor.
Everyone has their own preferences for the sauce. Sonoka added sweet and sour sauce, tomato sauce, rosemary, pepper, and salt.
Finally, there's the plating and baking!
A sprinkle of olive oil.
Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes.
...
"Ratatouille?"
"Do you believe so strongly in your skills, or do you think my next dish..."
"Will lose?"
Across the cooking station, Asahi, who hadn't even prepared his ingredients, stared intently at Sonoka and Taki as they cooked.
The French are naturally romantic, and if this simple stew can be made to taste unique, it would still be refined and impressive.
But making Ratatouille delicious requires sautéing the vegetables separately, so each ingredient retains its own flavor.
In other words, when eating it, you can taste the original flavors of the ingredients, and together, they create a new taste!
Besides its history, there are many ways to make Ratatouille.
Generally, there are three main styles:
The first group believes that all vegetables should be sautéed together; the second believes in layering the vegetables and then roasting them, and the third believes in sautéing the vegetables separately and then simmering them together.
Clearly, Sonoka and Taki's method leans towards the second style.
"Hmph!"
"What?"
"Do all French dishes need to have a delicate texture, delicious sauces, and elegant presentation to turn ordinary eating into high art to be considered qualified?"
"A country's culinary system can't just be high-end; it must also be down-to-earth."
"The same goes for restaurants!"
After finishing, Taki glanced at Asahi, speaking calmly.
"Interesting, I did think that this fine dining restaurant, Shunkatei, would bring out signature dishes like foie gras or truffles to challenge me."
"But instead, you chose Ratatouille, which surprises me a bit."
Asahi smiled faintly, but his eyes turned sharp as he gripped the "Shinomiya" knife in his hand. He continued, "You're right; French cuisine isn't all about high-end dishes without any down-to-earth options..."
...
For some families, the taste of home might be a rich, crispy onion soup.
Especially in the daily life of Parisians, onion soup appears frequently, much like tomato and egg soup on Chinese tables—very common.
Onions!
They have a strong scent.
When you peel them layer by layer, tears involuntarily come to your eyes.
In China, they are mostly used for stir-frying or as a spice.
However.
In Paris.
Many people use onions to make soup.
And they skillfully remove the strong odor, leaving only a sweet flavor after boiling.
Onion soup often gets overshadowed by the romantic and vibrant life in Paris, but this comforting dish isn't hard to make; it just requires lots of onions and some patience.
First, you need two large Vidalia sweet onions.
Though sweet onions are the best choice for this dish, in a pinch, regular white, red, or mixed onions will also work.
Then, slice the onions thinly.
Put them in a thick-bottomed pot with butter, oil, and thyme, sautéing until they soften and turn slightly golden.
...
As the onions slowly sauté, a unique caramelized aroma begins to waft through the kitchen. This scent is the sweet taste of the onions releasing under the heat. As the sautéing continues, the caramel scent becomes more intense.
Warm.
Comforting.
And increasingly pronounced.
Not overpowering, but deep and rich.
It's like a soft, melodic tune dancing in the pot, carrying a hint of bitterness and smokiness.
Sonoka couldn't help but take a deep breath.
She could feel each moment of the onions caramelizing, the perfect blend of sweet and caramelized flavors making her feel like she was in a bountiful field, enjoying nature's bounty!
"Could it be?"
"Is the caramelization process for onions really that exaggerated?"
Sonoka wondered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
...
The flavor of onion soup often depends on the caramelization.
After all, before adding bread, the entire dish is just broth and onions, so getting the broth right is crucial for success.
Typically, if the onions start to soften, sprinkle a little salt and sugar, turn up the heat, and continue stirring until the onions are a beautiful golden brown.
If the color is uneven, add a little water and stir.
Finally, when the onions are all golden, add a few tablespoons of flour and stir for a few minutes.
This step acts like thickening.
The flour mixed with the butter and oil gives the soup a rich texture, preventing it from being too thin.
Of course, you can also add a little white wine and hot broth.
Then use a spoon to stir the bottom of the pot, ensuring no ingredients stick.
Clearly, like Ratatouille, there are no strict rules for the ingredients in onion soup!
Don't eat beef?
Use chicken broth instead.
Prefer vegetarian?
Mushroom broth works just as well!
...
At this stage.
Asahi finally covered the pot, simmering the soup for 30 minutes.
This process allows the flavors to blend, but you need to check and stir occasionally to prevent burning.
After 30 minutes, you can prepare the final step: serving.
As everyone knows, the best part of French onion soup is the crispy top layer.
Tear some French bread into small pieces, place them in the oven, and bake at a low temperature until they're no longer moist. Asahi also tried to cut the bread to fit the top of the serving bowls perfectly.
And it's not just the bread; there's also cheese.
He used Parmesan and Swiss Gruyère cheese, which aren't too strong in flavor.
Avoid using Brie or Camembert, which have a slightly pungent smell, as they could alter the soup's taste. Now, wait for the cheese to bubble and turn a light brown—then it's done.
...
"As expected of a Midnight Chef."
"In terms of ingredients and technique, French onion soup has a standard procedure."
"So the key, besides the well-known caramelized onions..."
"Is the quality of the broth!"
"Huh?"
"Wait, caramelized onions... yes, that's the key!"
Taki stared at Asahi for a few moments, then tried to recall the process he used to make the onion soup, finally realizing something.
Exactly!
Caramelized onions are the key!
The "caramelized onions" we often talk about are actually the result of the Maillard reaction and caramelization.
Simply put, making caramelized onions involves heating the onions, causing the sugars and proteins inside to turn into brown substances.
This process involves two stages:
Sweating, then browning.
Since onions are over 70% water, they "sweat" first.
After the cell walls break down, the onions soften. If you continue to heat them, the sugars and proteins inside the cells start to break down and form deep brown substances, turning the onions from pale yellow to brown.
The rich, complex flavor of onion soup depends on these caramelized onions.
But making perfect caramelized onions isn't easy.
Heat!
Too high.
It's not just hard to control; it could also burn the outer layer of the onions before the inner flavors develop.
This "burnt" onion is definitely not what we want in caramelized onions.
So, you need to use medium-low heat and cook the onions slowly.
To what extent?
How long does the process take?
Many might think the deeper the browning, the better, but that's not the case!
If the onions brown too much, there's a risk of a bitter taste.
In summary.
As the cooking progressed to the final stages, both Sonoka and Taki began to realize the formidable skills of Asahi.
...
In France, only those who have been to Provence can truly understand the deep-rooted sense of leisure in the French soul.
The movie "A Summer in Provence" says: Parisians don't understand the passage of time; they wake up during the day and sleep at night.
But in Provence, with its blue morning light, scorching midday sun, and the sight of the Alpine curve at night, you can feel the passage of time and the changing seasons.
When Ratatouille is served, the vibrant colors make it look incredibly appetizing.
First, you see the bright colors of the vegetables in the
stew:
The orange of the carrots.
The pale yellow of the onions.
The green of the bell peppers.
And the bright red of the tomatoes.
They all blend together, creating a unique color palette.
The sauce in the stew has a rich brown color, exuding a faint sweetness and a strong meaty aroma.
The meat, after long preparation, becomes tender and juicy. A gentle bite reveals a smooth texture, while the vegetables retain their crispness, creating a sharp contrast with the meat.
Each bite offers a different taste experience, leaving a lasting impression!
"A bit disappointing!"
"I thought that as graduates of Totsuki, even if you made Ratatouille, it would..."
Before finishing his sentence, Asahi shook his head.
In his mind, perhaps the evaluation of this Ratatouille wasn't too bad, but it wasn't as impressive as he had imagined!
...
Soon after.
His onion soup was also served.
Under the lights, the dish had an enticing color.
The light golden hue with a subtle orange tint was the natural color released by the onions after careful cooking, like the glow of an autumn sunset, warm and inviting.
As you approach the bowl, a rich onion aroma wafts through the air.
This scent differs from the sharpness of raw onions; after simmering, it becomes mild, with a sweet and savory taste.
A gentle whiff makes you feel like you're standing in an onion field, surrounded by the rich fragrance. A slight stir reveals the onion slices perfectly blended with the soup, creating a creamy, smooth texture.
Every spoonful offers the rich depth of the onions and the soup's full-bodied flavor.
The onions' rich flavor intertwines with the soup's richness, offering a multi-layered taste experience. Besides the onions' sweetness, the soup also incorporates the smoothness of cream and the subtle seasoning of spices.
The cream adds a creamy texture to the soup, while the spices enhance the overall flavor, making the onion soup even more unique.
"This..."
"Is this really onion soup?"
Sonoka's eyes widened.
She could feel the chef's meticulous care and respect for the ingredients in this dish, with every bite being an ultimate treat for the taste buds!
----------
For 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/angelictranslating