Chapter 518: Chapter 511: Quite a Rarity
Zhang Zhen finished assisting Fu Yu, and when he looked up, he saw Feng Hai still standing by the cooking station.
So, he reminded him, "Chef Feng, don’t just linger here, hurry up and take the orders. This is the busiest time at the restaurant, and soon you’ll need to prepare for tonight’s big banquet order in advance."
The head chef had spoken, and Feng Hai, eager to stay, had no choice but to agree reluctantly and walked away.
However, when he returned to his own station, he kept glancing over to see what was happening.
He wanted to see what this legendary fish dish would turn out like!
Fu Yu wasn’t distracted by Feng Hai.
After successfully tying up the carp, he instructed Zhou Yesheng to prepare another carp.
This one was for practice, and after repeated tying, the carp’s skin was somewhat worn.
When the new carp was brought in, Fu Yu didn’t rush to tie it but instead marinated it with scallions, ginger, and cooking wine to get rid of any fishy smell for an hour.
While the fish was marinating, Fu Yu took an additional order, with Zhou Yesheng assisting him.
After the marinating was done, Fu Yu handed over the completed dish to the runner and resumed cooking the legendary fish.
After marinating the fish, he dried it thoroughly and then used cotton string to thread it through the fish’s gills.
With the cotton string tied, he added an additional layer of hemp thread for a second tie.
This time, Fu Yu was extra careful, trying not to damage the carp’s skin one bit.
Then he removed the chicken soup from the heat, poured it into a clay pot ready to be served directly, and hung the fish on a rack, ensuring it was suspended perfectly in the middle of the pot.
Fu Yu wasn’t finished yet. He took some tin foil and wrapped the fish securely.
Finally, he cooked it slowly over low heat.
In about two hours, the dish would be ready.
If all goes well, this cooking method would let the steam from the chicken soup cook the fish completely, and the fish meat would gradually fall off, leaving just the intact fish skeleton.
The whole cooking process carried out by Fu Yu was smooth and flowing!
There was not a hint of hesitation or pause!
Those watching felt a sense of exhilaration.
However, everyone knew how difficult it was to master the details of the operation.
After all, even Chef Feng, specializing in Hunan cuisine, couldn’t manage this dish.
Clearly, this dish was as complex and intricate as the legends said, making it an extremely challenging dish to execute.
Fu Yu checked the tin foil’s wrapping once more to ensure it was tight, then turned to Zhou Yesheng and instructed, "Keep an eye on it; it should be about two hours."
Zhou Yesheng nodded quickly, "Got it, Chef Fu, rest assured!"
Zhang Zhen was thrilled, never expecting to have the chance to witness the grandeur of the legendary fish dish!
Regarding the dish, Zhang Zhen had also heard of its legends.
Since it was just a legend, naturally, he had never seen what the real dish looked like.
So Zhang Zhen was very much looking forward to this dish.
Meanwhile, in the front, Li Xintong quickly got the news and couldn’t stop smiling.
Wonderful!
Who would have thought Fu Yu could actually make this dish after all?
As long as they could serve up the legendary fish, they could completely retain their old customers.
Moreover, if this supposedly long-lost dish was successfully made, it might become a rare signature dish for the restaurant.
With the commercial savvy of the boss, the staff’s commissions would probably increase!
...
Two hours later.
The time to witness the miracle had arrived.
Fu Yu carefully peeled the tin foil back, and a rich aroma immediately wafted out.
In the perfectly stewed old chicken soup, chunks of tender fish floated.
The rich chicken broth and the fresh fish harmonized into one, with tender meat and a more delectable taste.
It was also Fu Yu’s first time making the legendary fish dish.
Out of curiosity, he scooped a ladle of the soup to taste it.
The overall flavor of this dish was wonderfully aromatic and sweet.
It emphasized the pure, original taste.
In the classic traditional recipe, it recorded the flavor of this dish as a feature of ancestral cuisine, focusing on the fresh and delicious taste of the ingredients themselves.
Very nice!
No wonder it had been praised to the skies; the dish lived up to its legend indeed.
Furthermore, the cooking method was highly distinctive.
Fu Yu looked at the clay pot in front of him, thinking he might show off to his parents during the New Year holiday.
Such a delicious legendary fish, his parents should like it.
He had just set the clay pot onto a tray.
A notification came from the front: the guests who had pre-ordered the Hunan banquet had arrived.
Fu Yu checked the time; it was already five in the evening.
No wonder the dish was lost to time; it was indeed too time-consuming.
Moreover, considering the cost, with just an old chicken and a carp as ingredients, it wasn’t feasible to sell it at a high price.
At most, by positioning it as a medicinal culinary dish, it was barely worth making.
Soon, a runner brought the legendary fish and the dishes prepared by Feng Hai to the front one by one.
Li Xintong heard the news and, amidst her busyness, took time to check the private room.
There she saw a middle-aged couple smiling as they chatted with friends, with all six guests already present at the table.
The middle-aged man pointed to the dishes already served and said with a smile, "Old Ye, try this out, see how authentic their Hunan dish is!"
Ye Mian was from Hunan and had a penchant for spicy food, having tasted all the Hunan restaurants in Bei’an.
Upon hearing that this music restaurant had launched a series of Hunan dishes, he was quite intrigued.
Ye Mian smiled and said, "It looks rather good!"
Saying this, he picked up his chopsticks and tried the dish closest to him.
After tasting it carefully, he couldn’t help but praise, "Not bad, their Hunan dish is quite authentic!"
Just then, a server came in with more dishes.
The server entered holding a tray and announced the dish name, "This dish is the legendary fish!"
Upon hearing that the legendary fish was served, the middle-aged couple and Ye Mian all leaned in to take a look.
They saw the server carefully placing the clay pot on the table.
Inside the clay pot was a whole old chicken and chunks of fish meat.
But most striking was the frame placed on top of the clay pot.
The frame had a complete fish skeleton hanging from head to tail, secured with strings, gently swaying as it was moved, yet without falling apart.
"What’s this dish? It looks quite unique!"
The Mao Jia couple were guests invited to the dinner and didn’t know about the arrangements when ordering, so naturally, they had no idea about the legendary fish.
The middle-aged man replied with a smile, "This dish is called the legendary fish, a specialty from Old Ye’s hometown. However, it’s said to have been lost, right, Old Ye?"
Ye Mian nodded earnestly, "Indeed, back in our hometown, it’s only ever been heard of, never actually tasted."
The Mao Jia couple looked surprised, "Is that so? This music restaurant must be impressive, being able to find a chef who can make this dish!"
