TriNovel Chapter 497 - 458: Three Ways to Enjoy Lobster
Chapter 497 - 458: Three Ways to Enjoy Lobster
In the kitchen.
The sound of "splashing~" water was like a mountain stream, joyfully jumping in the stainless steel sink as Yang Yuxi and several other young teachers turned into master chefs, their hands flying in the sink, carefully washing all kinds of fresh ingredients...
The rhythmic "chop chop chop" sound kept ringing, that was Chef Ge busy handling the swimming crabs.
The crab shells cracked open under his knife, yet the crab meat still maintained its original form and texture...
Qian Guoxiang, on the other hand, was busy scoring the abalones.
The abalones under his knife turned into blooming flowers, both beautiful and enticing.
In an instant...
The entire kitchen seemed very crowded and extremely busy...
As time passed...
The busyness and bustle gradually subsided, all the ingredients had been washed and processed, neatly placed aside.
Yang Yuxi gently wiped away the fine sweat on her forehead, smiling as she said to Huang Jun, "Qingqing’s dad, we’ve already cleaned the ingredients."
Huang Jun, who was simmering porridge, turned around, his gaze sweeping over the neatly arranged ingredients, and nodded in satisfaction: "Okay, you all worked hard, leave the next part to me. You go have a rest in the living room, I’ll call you when the dishes are ready."
"Hey! Okay! Thanks, Chef Huang."
Yang Yuxi and her companions responded, their faces blossoming with relief and joy, their steps growing lighter.
The kitchen became much more spacious as they left.
At this moment.
Qian Guoxiang also completed his task, saying with a cheerful smile: "Chef Huang, all the seafood has been processed, and the ingredients are cut."
Huang Jun reached out to pat Qian Guoxiang and Chef Ge’s arms, expressing his gratitude: "Good, you two worked hard."
Chef Ge’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm: "Master, let’s start cooking!"
Huang Jun nodded in agreement: "Okay, Xiaoge, please put the soaked vermicelli and washed vegetables at the bottom of the tray, then neatly arrange the cleaned and processed swimming crabs, abalone, oysters, scallops, and prawns on top of the vegetables and vermicelli. Let’s make a garlic seafood platter."
"Got it!"
Commanded by Chef Ge, he happily took a baking tray, cleaned it, and began to lay out the various ingredients according to Huang Jun’s instructions.
Meanwhile, Huang Jun moved to the stove, holding an oil bottle, gently tilting it, allowing the golden liquid to slip smoothly into the pan.
As soon as it entered the pan, a wisp of smoke immediately rose.
He poured the chopped scallions and onion slices into the pan, and under the gentle caress of a slow fire, they gradually shed their rawness, donning a layer of golden hue, releasing an irresistible aroma, followed by retreating, scooped out by him.
Next, he slowly added most of the minced garlic and small chili to the pan, frying them on medium heat, each clove of garlic greedily absorbing the fragrant oil, gradually turning golden and plump, while the small chili unleashed an exhilarating spiciness, intertwining to form an irresistible fragrant torrent.
Soy sauce, oyster sauce, white sugar, and a little salt were successively added. Holding the spatula, he continued to stir-fry, each movement perfectly blending the seasonings and garlic, achieving a subtle balance.
Finally, he poured the remaining minced garlic into the pan, letting it simmer for a while longer, allowing all the flavors to fully blend, reaching an optimal state.
Seeing the heat was just right, he then took it out of the pan.
He evenly poured the golden garlic sauce over Chef Ge’s meticulously arranged seafood platter, the sauce permeating like fine rain, each drop precisely sliding into the seafood textures, adorning them with dazzling golden attire, making the seafood even more tempting in its sheen.
He instructed: "Xiaoge, please put it in the steam-oven to steam for 10 minutes."
"Okay, master!"
Chef Ge swiftly did as told.
Huang Jun was called "Master" so often by him, getting more and more accustomed to it, feeling quite helpless, but could only let him be.
He soon added: "Xiaoge, once it’s done, remember to arrange those heart-shaped carvings of pumpkin one by one on the plate, and also place the lobster head and tail on the dish, then put it in the steamer for 6 minutes."
This is the first dish from "Three Lobster Eats," called Golden Prosperity Red.
Since the ripeness of the pumpkin and lobster meat differs, the pumpkin needs a pre-steam.
Chef Ge cheerfully slid the seafood platter into the steam oven, responding, "Got it, master, I’ll do it right away!"
With that, he swiftly immersed himself into the tasks Huang Jun had assigned...
Huang Jun then placed the peeled and crystal-clear lobster meat on the cutting board, cutting along its texture, each piece weighing approximately 30 grams.
This weight is just right, making it a breeze for diners to enjoy it in one bite when the dish is ready.
Once the lobster is cut, he placed it on a plate for later use, saying, "Xiaoge, once the pumpkin is steamed, take it out, arrange the slices of lobster meat on top, and after that, send it back to the steamer to continue steaming for three minutes."
Chef Ge responded affirmatively: "Got it, master, I’ll remember!"
Huang Jun continued by heating the pan with water, adding an appropriate amount of base flavor and cooking oil, placing the prepared broccoli in the pan to blanch.
The broccoli turned vibrant green in the hot water, and was scooped out for later use.
Next, he took the pre-prepared clear soup, gently poured it into the pot to heat, and once again added a suitable amount of base flavor for seasoning.
When the soup reached a boil...
He used cornstarch to create a thin coating and slowly poured it into the boiling pot, along with the right amount of egg whites.
The egg whites slid down like silk, perfectly blending with the soup.
Once it boiled again, he dripped a few drops of peanut oil to enhance the aroma.
At this moment, the soup became clear and glossy, with a fragrance wafting through the air.
As he served it out, he instructed again: "Xiaoge, when the lobster is ready, arrange the blanched broccoli around as a border, then pour the prepared crystal sauce evenly over it."
Just as he was speaking...
The alert sounds from the steamer cabinet and steam oven rang almost simultaneously, this melodious bell indicated that the steaming of the lobster and the baking of the seafood platter were complete.
Qian Guoxiang and Chef Ge, each with cotton gloves, took them out and placed them on the stove.
The next second...
Following Huang Jun’s instructions, Chef Ge neatly arranged the blanched broccoli on the edge of the plate, forming a verdant border. Then, he lightly pinched the sauce, twisting his wrist gently, delicately and evenly covering the lobster and golden pumpkin. Under the soft light, the sauce sparkled with an appetizing crystal sheen.
Meanwhile.
Qian Guoxiang focused on the final garnishing of the seafood platter, sprinkling in small amounts of green onions and white sesame seeds.
"Assistant Chef Qian, be careful with the hot oil."
Huang Jun cautioned, holding the boiling hot pot of oil, giving it a light toss. The hot oil traced a brilliant golden arc through the air, then fell precisely and evenly onto the platter. With a crisp and pleasant "sizzle", the deepest aromas of the ingredients were fully released, filling the entire kitchen...
At this point.
The seafood platter and the Golden Jade Lobster dishes were complete!
"Ah, it smells so good... the fragrance is making me a bit hungry..." Liu Shiwei, lured by the tempting aroma, involuntarily stepped over the kitchen threshold.
Huang Jun smiled and suggested: "President Liu, two dishes are ready, why not take them out to enjoy with everyone first?"
"Oh, no, that won’t do, it’s not right!" Liu Shiwei quickly waved his hand, though his eyes were full of longing, he firmly refused: "The host has not yet taken their seat, how can we as guests eat first? Rules mustn’t be broken, I’ll just wait patiently a bit longer, good things are worth the wait."
"Alright then! As you wish, we’ll wait a little longer for the meal to be even more perfect."
Huang Jun smiled slightly, no longer persuading, instead focusing back on his cooking, beginning to prepare the next dish—Stir-fried Lobster Legs with Ginger and Scallion.
He slowly poured oil into the preheated pan.
As the oil temperature gradually rose, he evenly coated the lobster legs in a thin layer of cornstarch, so that once they hit the oil, they would lock in their moisture and freshness.
When the oil reached 150 degrees...
He tossed in the prepared ginger slices and lobster legs into the hot oil. Instantly, the oil splattered, the lobster legs under the embrace of high heat quickly shriveled their surface moisture, turning golden and crispy.
After a brief fry of about ten seconds, he scooped them out, drained them, and set them aside.
He left an appropriate amount of base oil in the pan, letting the oil temperature rise again before adding the prepared spices and ingredients, sautéing on low heat until fragrant. Then he returned the previously fried lobster legs to the pan, stir-frying together with the spices to fully blend their flavors.
He gently drizzled in a suitable amount of cooking wine along the pan’s edge, enhancing the ingredients’ aroma.
Pouring in clear broth, he let the lobster legs slowly braise, absorbing the essence of the broth.
He was particularly careful when seasoning.
After all, deep-sea shrimp and crabs come with their own salty freshness, so not much salt was needed. He added just a touch of salt and sugar to balance the taste, avoiding excessive saltiness.
He then added ground pepper to enhance its complexity and flavor.
Next, he created a thin cornstarch coating, which flowed slowly in the pan, enveloping each piece of food evenly as he stirred.
He drizzled in a few drops of high-end oil.
Instantly.
Not only the aroma of food, but an indescribably enticing scent filled the air, signaling that the dish of Stir-fried Lobster Legs with Ginger and Scallion had reached perfection.
"Gurgle~"
Standing nearby, Liu Shiwei, wrapped tightly in the wafting strong aroma, could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.
With a sheepish smile, he said: "Haha, I’d better be sensible and wait outside. This fragrance is too enticing, I fear if I stay any longer, I won’t be able to resist..."
Before he even finished speaking.
He had already turned to walk outside, as if even the aroma hanging in the air had become the "temptation" he was eager to escape from at this moment.
Whereas Chef Ge and Qian Guoxiang, though their hearts were equally stirred by the enticing aroma, knew their duties and could only resist the longing, continuing their steadfast workplace vigilance...
Seeing this, Huang Jun smiled, placing the Stir-fried Lobster Legs with Ginger and Scallion onto an exquisite plate. Then, his gaze turned to the clay pot nearby, where the porridge inside had already started to boil, emitting a light rice fragrance.
He then added the lobster head to simmer together.
To further enhance the texture of the porridge, he sprinkled in a few strands of ginger to remove the fishy smell and add fragrance.
Once the porridge boiled again, he sequentially added a suitable amount of salt and pepper, drizzling in a little peanut oil.
This seemingly simple step would make the porridge’s texture more fragrant and delicate...