The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: A New Dish

“The dining hall is small, so can everyone eat in the courtyard? Knights, please come inside.”

“We can eat outside too. It’s a nice day for a picnic.”

“Don’t you want to see how the dishes are made? It’s quicker to show you than to explain it repeatedly. We don’t have a food taster in this mansion anyway.”

“Lady Melfina, you’re always so straightforward!”

Although August always had something flattering to say, it was clear that he was observant and inquisitive. He wasn’t trying to hide it, either.

“Marie, can you start preparing with Eli? Have Eli chop the vegetables, and Marie, you handle the meat.”

“Understood.”

“Yes, Lady Melfina.”

Eli was a woman with a large scar on her face, whom Melfina had met in a serf village. She wasn’t born a serf but came from a small merchant family.

Since she could read, write, and manage a household, Melfina hired her as a maid. In the lord’s mansion, which was short on female staff, she had become a valuable worker.

Together with Ed, the youngest who showed talent in cooking, they took care of the daily meals in the mansion. Both were efficient in their tasks. While Marie carefully cooked the prepped chicken, Eli finely chopped the well-washed vegetables.

Melfina decided to handle making the dough. She rolled up her sleeves and mixed water, a bit of salt, and olive oil into cornmeal ground from dried corn.

At first, the dough was crumbly, but with some kneading, it began to come together and became smooth. She divided it into eight portions, rolled them into balls, and covered them with a damp cloth to rest for a while.

“You’re quite skilled.”

“If just watching is boring, why don’t you try it yourself?”

“Can I?”

“Sure.”

“We’ll need to repeat this about two more times to have enough for lunch, especially since knights eat a lot. I’ll be kneading the dough, so please go wash your hands.”

August quickly washed his hands using the magical water stone faucet. Marie made sure he used soap as well.

“This soap is different from the ones sold in the South, isn’t it?”

“…No comment.”

“That just makes me more curious.”

“When you’re done washing your hands, hurry back. Don’t keep Lady Melfina waiting.”

Smiling at her reliable assistant, Melfina measured cornmeal, salt, and water into a bowl, noticing Alexis watching her intently.

“Is something wrong?”

“No… I was just wondering if it’s alright to cook in front of us.”

The recipe and techniques of a chef are considered their unique property. In this world and era, it was common to keep such knowledge secret, often preparing the main part of a dish away from even their apprentices. For instance, it was a minimum requirement for a chef in a noble’s household to be able to bake white bread. If such skills became widespread, it would undermine their value.

“Up to this point, it’s easy for anyone to imitate, and this flatbread is meant to become a common household dish.”

Corn is commonly thought of as animal feed among the common folk. However, it doesn’t mean they don’t consume it at all. Roasted corn with salted water brushed on it is sometimes eaten, and corn soup made by boiling the kernels in milk until soft, then pureeing and mixing with cream, is considered a high-class dish.

To overcome any aversion, disguising the original form is simple but effective.

“Lady Melfina, is this yellow powder cornmeal?”

“Yes, after harvesting, we dry the corn with the husks removed in a well-ventilated place for about two weeks, then remove the kernels and grind them into meal with a millstone.”

“It smells really good. I’ve had corn soup once before, and this smells exactly like it.”

“That’s because it’s made from corn. Now, we’ll knead this with water, salt, and a bit of vegetable oil.”

August, being naturally adept, kneaded the flour into a cohesive dough without any issues. Meanwhile, Melfina prepared the press.

“Lady Melfina, what’s that?”

“It’s a press for making flatbread. You can roll it out with a rolling pin or press it down with a board, but this is much easier for making larger quantities.”

The press had round iron plates that aligned perfectly, and a handle to apply pressure using leverage. Melfina had ordered it from the blacksmith when Rad and the others went to the capital for supplies.

“You place the dough ball here, and press like this. It flattens the dough.”

“That’s simple. Is there a reason to let the dough rest for a while after dividing it?”

“Allowing the flour and water to blend makes the texture better when cooked. If you don’t let it rest, it can crack or become brittle, so letting it rest results in a tastier flatbread.”

After pressing all eight pieces of dough, Melfina handed them to Marie. They heated a large frying pan on the magic stone stove and cooked the flatbread without oil.

“The cooking time is just until it gets a bit of color on the surface. If you cook it too long, it gets hard, and if it’s undercooked, it lacks flavor. So, take it off the heat at the right moment.”

This year, they had expanded their chicken coops significantly, making chicken inexpensive in Enkar Village. Those who owned chicken coops could sell their chickens to the butcher. Today’s chicken was brought by the village head’s son, Lutz, for their lunch.

The chicken had been seasoned with salt and garlic, then rubbed with chili peppers and wrapped in pepper-scented moon rabbit leaves to rest for a while. The salt had penetrated, and the moon rabbit leaves had absorbed the excess moisture while imparting their peppery aroma.

They cooked the chicken skin-side down in the pan until it was crispy, then sliced it slightly thick.

By placing the grilled vegetables and chicken on the flatbread, they had a basic taco, similar to what Melfina remembered from her previous life.

“It’s quicker and simpler than baking bread, but still quite filling.”

“Yes, it’s easy to make and satisfying, perfect for a hearty meal.”

“We’re not done yet. Marie, the sauce, please.”

“Sure.”

Adding white sauce on top of the red sauce, it was finally complete. Marie carried the plate with two tacos to Alexis and the other knight who were seated at the table.

“It’s been a while, Marie. How have you been?”

“Long time no see, Your Grace. I apologize for the late greeting. Thanks to you, I’ve been doing well.”

They exchanged polite words, and Marie quickly returned to the kitchen. Despite being half-siblings, their interaction seemed somewhat formal.

“Lady Melfina, may I try pressing as well?”

“Of course. Would you like to try baking them afterward?”

“I’d love to!”

With a cheerful response, August was warned to be careful not to pinch his fingers. He seemed quite adept, flattening the dough almost uniformly with remarkable efficiency.

“You’re quite good at this for a first-timer. Do you have any cooking experience?”

“Absolutely not, I come from a purebred knight family. But cooking is surprisingly enjoyable. If I retire, would you hire me at your place, Lady Melfina?”

“In that case, it would be helpful if you could open a restaurant directly managed by Enkar in the capital. Of course, I’d invest.”

“I’d love to be bossed around by a beautiful lady like you… Ouch!”

It seemed Cedric, who was standing behind him, kicked his shin. As they chuckled at the contrast between the two knights, murmurs of delight began to arise from around the table.

“This is… delicious.”

“Yes, considering it’s made from corn, I didn’t expect much flavor, but it’s more aromatic than white bread. Some might even prefer this over white bread.”

“It might not be suitable for nobles to eat with their hands, but it’s likely to be more acceptable to commoners.”

“Plus, it’s filling. Since it’s cooked directly from flour, there’s less worry about mold, and it’s simple and hygienic to cook it before eating. It might even be suitable as military rations.”

Alexis and the knight exchanged some serious words, but they didn’t stop eating. Marie promptly served sandwiches with steamed chicken, boiled eggs, and pre-prepared vegetables, but they disappeared in no time as well.

“I see, with different fillings, you could have various variations. …I understand now why you readily shared the recipe up to this point. The sauce seems to be what elevates this dish, isn’t it?”

His voice, which had been somewhat cheerful, suddenly turned cold. Then, he chuckled.

“Of course, it’s delicious even without the sauce. You can season the meat generously with salt, and if you’re a castle chef, you probably know various sauce recipes.”

“But it’s true that this spicy and sour sauce pairs well with the corn flatbread. The stimulation is nicely balanced by this white sauce.”

“Hey, wouldn’t it go well with ale?”

For some reason, August, who had completely joined in on the cooking side, said cheerfully, but Alexis ignored him and turned his gaze to Melfina.

“My lady, I would like to purchase the recipe for the corn flatbread and the sauce.”

“It’s a grateful offer, but this area is newly cultivated land, and we’re already pushing the peasants and serfs a bit too much to work. I’ll negotiate the price accordingly, but is that still acceptable to you?”

“Let’s hear your terms.”

“Then, I’d like to ask for the same amount of wheat for each bag of corn.”

There was a loud snort from August beside him. Marie and Eli, Alexis, and the knight next to him were all speechless.