Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Vegetable Bouillon and Clear Broth

Finally, it was two days before the dinner gathering of the four great dukes.

The entire Lenaril mansion was bustling.

Not only the dukes themselves but also their subordinates and servants would attend the dinner party, bringing the guest count to nearly a hundred.

Guests would start arriving tomorrow.

And given the stature of the attendees, the utmost hospitality was necessary, hence the bustle was understandable.

“Chef Kurt! Is this preparation acceptable like this?”

“The broth is ready. Please taste it.”

I was currently in the kitchen.

I was instructing the chefs of the Lenaril family.

Given the number of people, it was impossible for me alone to prepare food for everyone. Naturally, we wouldn’t be serving the servants of the guests, but there were about thirty subordinates of the four great dukes alone.

I couldn’t just cook by myself; I had to drill the methods into my assistants.

The chefs present were indeed first-class, as they were the cream of the crop brought from the lands of Count Fernande to support me, along with the proud personal chefs of Duke Lenaril. They were quick learners and good at following directions.

However, I would personally prepare the meals intended for the four great dukes myself.

I wanted to provide the best possible.

Additionally, there was the dessert, my specialty chocolate cake. It was difficult to make, and no one else could prepare it, so I had to do it myself.

The cake, being a fresh pastry, would lose its flavor if left for a day.

Ideally, I would want to prepare everyone’s portion on the day itself, but there wasn’t enough time. Thus, I decided to prepare everything except for the portions for the four great dukes the day before. Considering this, today was effectively the last day to drill the skills into the other chefs. It was quite a challenge.

I had been instructing them for several days now, and things were finally taking shape.

“Alright, the fish preparation is good as is. As for the soup… yes, the sweetness of the vegetables comes out nicely. However, the herb bouquet needs a bit more improvement. Use a bit more parsley.”

With this progress, the cooking on the day of the event should go well.

I spread out the paper on which I had written the recipes.

Appetizer: Tuna tartare steak and venison liver tataki
Salad: Steamed shellfish and tomato salad with a special sauce
Soup: Venison medicinal herb soup
Fish Dish: Eel wrapped in pastry soup
Meat Dish: Roast jade duck
Dessert: Special chocolate cake

Overall, the focus is on how to enhance appetite while keeping the fat content low.

In this era, the deliciousness of food is equated with the strength of its fat content.

That’s why I deliberately do not rely on fat.

Because they are accustomed to greasy food, I will compete with deliciousness.

Such a course meal should be unknown even to the four great dukes.

Delicate dishes that bring out the flavors of the ingredients, and bold preparations that surprise the guests—these are the strengths of my cooking.

“Alright, everyone gather around. Let’s taste the soup.”

This soup has been quite labor-intensive to prepare.

A multitude of vegetables and herbs are used, taking a whole day to extract the broth.

Vegetable bouillon—a technique celebrated in the latest French cuisine. A method of extracting broth solely from vegetables.

The herbs are selected not just for their flavor, but also for their ability to soothe the stomachs of the nobles tired from consecutive days of lavish meals, promoting digestion and regulating the intestines, enhancing the deliciousness of the dishes that follow.

This soup is a delicious medicine.

The role of the soup in the course is not just its standalone taste. It’s about how it can enhance the subsequent dishes to be eaten more enjoyably.

Even just this vegetable soup alone is delicious enough.

But there is an additional twist here.

“Generally, soups are carefully simmered for a long time, but that’s not the only correct approach.”

In Western cuisine, it’s common to cook a thick, heavy soup by simmering it thoroughly.

Following that theory, I simmered just the vegetables for a long time.

But this is a deer soup. Now comes the main part.

“Watch. This is a soup technique from the Far East.”

I take the deer flakes I brought with me and shave them with a knife until they are translucent.

Deer flakes are made from the hind legs of the deer, the tastiest part, dried and aged similar to bonito flakes.

Though the intense umami of bonito flakes, enhanced by aging, is recognized in the West, its fishy smell has prevented its acceptance.

That’s where deer flakes come in.

With no off-putting smell and strong umami, deer flakes complement any dish.

I pour the vegetable soup into a small pot and place it on the fire.

Then, I quickly add the thinly shaved deer flakes, and remove them after just a few seconds.

That’s enough.

This technique is known as a clear broth. It brings out enough umami and, if done quickly, prevents the meaty smell from becoming overpowering or too rich. The moment deer flakes are cooked, they inevitably emit a gamey smell.

This way, the soup retains a clear and transparent quality.

The vegetables need to be well-simmered to extract all their umami, but for the meat, we only want the umami without any fishiness or heaviness.

It’s a soup made from a combination of Western and Japanese techniques.

“Please, have a taste.”

Hearing my invitation, the surrounding chefs look perplexed.

They struggle to grasp this unconventional cooking method.

“Let me try it.”

Said Chef Benaritta, stepping forward to take a small plate I offered and tasting the soup.

“Delicious. I see. So you can achieve such a flavor with just the sweetness of the vegetables and the umami of the meat. The rich sweetness of the thoroughly simmered vegetables forms the base, and on top of that, the sharp umami of the meat blossoms and harmonizes. The absence of any gamey smell is due to the non-simmering technique. Wonderful. I hadn’t even imagined a soup like this. It’s even moving. What are you all standing around for? Drink up. It’s a good learning opportunity.”

Encouraged by his words, the chefs rush to taste the soup.

“There’s such a flavor? What a clear taste.”

“The meat’s flavor comes out in just a few seconds?”

“It’s so delicious even without butter or oil.”

The chefs exchanged their impressions among themselves.

This is a positive trend.

The soup I made this time is downright revolutionary.

The latest French culinary technique, bouillon de légume; the innovative ingredient, deer flakes; combined with the Japanese technique of clear broth and the knowledge of medicinal cuisine.

A soup that chefs of this era could hardly conceive.

“Well, well, I thought I wouldn’t be surprised by anything you made, but this has absolutely astonished me. Are all the other dishes also filled with surprises like this?”

“Yes, of course. This soup is merely an opener, intended to enhance the main course.”

The other dishes also involve meticulous and innovative preparations.

But in terms of pure surprise, this soup is probably the most extraordinary. It’s completely different.

I served this to make it easier to have the chefs listen to me in the future.

By creating dishes that shatter conventional ideas like this, the chefs’ minds become more open.

Once that happens, they will no longer question the cooking methods I instruct.

This should ensure smooth operations going forward.

“Everyone, we’re short on time. Let’s keep things moving!”

At my call…

“Ooh!”

Everyone present responded with vigor.

Then, they swiftly moved on to instructing on the dishes and preparing for the main event.

With this pace, we should be able to finish the preparations in time for the performance.