Jessica moved swiftly, navigating the battlefield of the kitchen with ease. This commander on the culinary battlefield did not pause for a moment, her petite figure almost becoming a blur.
From the transition of living beings to food transportation, the freshly caught prawns, hauled up by the island's residents, were swiftly boiled in hot water until red.
The shells were left on the tails, peeled away to remove the prawn veins. With practiced hands, Jessica deftly made a few shallow cuts along the prawn's belly, severing the tendons and loosening the meat. She arranged them neatly, evenly sprinkling coarse salt and white pepper, then added cooking wine to marinate for half an hour.
Tender beef chunks were tossed into boiling water, their excess blood removed as frothy impurities floated to the surface. Jessica swiftly scooped them out to drain.
She heated a wok and sautéed the half-dried beef with slices of ginger until the color changed. Without pausing, she sliced several tomatoes and placed them in a pressure cooker with hot water, finally adding the beef to stew together.
Meanwhile, Jessica seized her spare time to prepare tartar sauce. She boiled eggs in the same pot of water used for the prawns, diced onions into fine pieces, and chopped pickled cucumbers into small cubes.
Mixing them with the onions, she peeled the boiled eggs, revealing the tender white egg whites. She finely chopped the eggs into small cubes and added them to a bowl, drizzling mayonnaise on top before mixing it evenly.
With the delicious sauce ready, the meticulous chef calmly brought out breadcrumbs and flour, placing them separately in dishes. She cracked several raw eggs, beating them into a warm orange-yellow mixture. Grasping the marinated prawns by their tails, she coated them in flour, dipped them in the beaten egg, and finally covered them in a thick layer of golden breadcrumbs.
Oil served as the intermediary between the cookware and the food. Jessica placed the prawns into a frying pan heated to 180 degrees Celsius, frying them until the color deepened before taking them out.
She cut a cabbage in half, shredded it finely, and plated it, placing the golden-brown fried prawns in the center of the dish. A small slice of lemon served both as a garnish and a way to enhance the freshness of the fried prawns.
After completing everything, she exhaled softly and pulled out a delicate pocket watch from inside her chef's jacket. "Perfect timing," she remarked in a commanding yet somehow pleasing tone. Turning to the three people seated at the dining table, she smiled.
Sakazuki couldn't help but be impressed. He knew he could never, in such a short amount of time and with such precise movements, prepare a meal so full of color, fragrance, and flavor.
He even had the fleeting thought, "Is the Navy's strongest division... the chefs?" Beside him, Jonathan wore an entirely different expression—a starry-eyed admiration as he gazed adoringly at his wife.
Robin, whose stomach had been growling all day, couldn't help but glance eagerly at the dishes set before her. Jessica reached out and gently ruffled little Robin's hair, her voice soft: "Would you like to try the food?"
Having grown up in her uncle's household, where even simple meals like white bread with jam were rationed by her stingy aunt, Robin had never seen such delicious food.
A bowl of richly colored tomato and beef soup paired with soft white bread, and a plate of beautifully crafted fried prawns exuding an enticing aroma—she couldn't help but feel hesitant. Looking up at the pretty older sister before her, she asked uncertainly, "I… can really eat this?"
"Without a doubt," Jessica responded with a radiant smile. "For a chef, nothing is more rewarding than watching people enjoy their food." Jonathan chimed in with a laugh, "That's right, give it a try!"
Encouraged by their smiles, Robin hesitantly picked up the spoon and scooped a small amount of the beef soup to her lips. "!" The tangy sweetness of the tomato exploded in her mouth, igniting her appetite.
The beef's rich flavor had melded into the soup, perfectly combining its tangy sweetness with the hearty aroma of the meat. She took another scoop of beef, bringing it to her mouth.
To her surprise, it wasn't tough to chew—the beef fibers had softened, and the tomato's sweetness had thoroughly soaked in, making it exceptionally flavorful. Robin followed Sakazuki's lead and dipped a piece of bread into the richly colored soup, allowing it to absorb the broth.
"Nom." Robin took a big bite of the bread, her cheeks puffing adorably as she chewed, resembling a squirrel storing nuts. But her full mouth soon led to trouble, and she began choking slightly, her face turning red. Jessica chuckled as she handed her a glass of juice.
Finally swallowing, Robin's small face reddened further in embarrassment.
She had eaten too quickly, but without a doubt, this was the most delicious meal she had ever had. Staring at the bread in her hands, it seemed to contrast sharply with her life on the island.
Unlike in the past, there was no stingy aunt restricting her food or silent uncle looking the other way. Instead, there was a kind older sister offering her juice with a warm smile and a gentleman watching her with concern. Sakazuki, whose expression rarely changed, spoke softly: "Eat slowly, don't worry. Jessica made plenty."
"Drip! Drip!" Tears began to fall from Robin's eyes, like pearls breaking off a string. For the first time, she felt the warmth of "home." This unfamiliar yet deeply yearned-for emotion overwhelmed her.
The scholars and professors in her life had always encouraged her intellectual pursuits, but they had overlooked one crucial need for a child her age: the longing for family and belonging. To Sakazuki, her fervent pursuit of knowledge and learning in her youth was simply a way to seek validation and recognition from others.
Jonathan and Jessica exchanged a glance, their expressions softening further with a mix of pity and affection as they watched the teary-eyed girl. Jessica gently held Robin's small hand with one of hers, while the other lightly wiped the child's tears with a napkin.
Jonathan turned his head toward Sakazuki, and with an unspoken understanding, the two men nodded. This was a delicate matter, best handled by the empathetic Jessica.
She leaned close to Robin's ear and whispered softly, "We Navy folks, if you're willing, we're your family now. You'll make new friends too. Here, try this fried prawn." She placed a fried prawn in front of Robin, skillfully diverting her attention.
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