Chapter 676 - 534: Absolutely Master-Level
Huang Jun observed the expressions of Zhao Weiguang and Yu Daqing, and instantly understood in his heart.
His culinary skills had initial approval from them, but he could see from their micro-expressions that they were not completely convinced of his abilities.
Even so!
So what?
He didn’t rely on their approval to define his own value.
Huang Jun ignored their doubts and, while changing into a clean chef’s coat, said to Chef Wu nearby, "Chef Wu, let’s begin..."
"Sure thing, Chef Huang!"
Chef Wu responded cheerfully with a smile, and then respectfully inquired, "So, which dish shall we start with?"
Without hesitation, Huang Jun replied, "Let’s start with the steamed crab roe lion’s head!"
This steamed crab roe lion’s head is a signature dish of Huaiyang cuisine, also known as sunflower big chopped meat.
It not only conquers the hearts of countless diners with its exquisite taste, but also vividly showcases the superb knife skills of Huaiyang cuisine.
Its appearance is plump and round, similar in principle to the four happiness meatballs of Shandong cuisine, but when it comes to size, the lion’s head is more imposing, enough to rival two four happiness meatballs.
Moreover, in terms of preparation technique, the two dishes are fundamentally different: while four happiness meatballs are formed by chopping the meat, the lion’s head demands precise slicing, making it superior in terms of artistry and skill.
Therefore.
From a technical perspective, it is not difficult to distinguish the superiority between these two dishes.
Of course, this does not mean that four happiness meatballs lack deliciousness; on the contrary, if judged by how well they complement rice, the four happiness meatballs excel.
But if judged by cooking skills and artistry, the steamed crab roe lion’s head undoubtedly holds the upper hand.
It is not just a dish that satisfies the appetite, but also a work of art worth savoring, allowing diners to feel the dedication of the chef while enjoying the food.
Huang Jun placed the already cleaned pork belly on the cutting board.
When preparing lion’s head, although common pork belly is used, the most ideal ingredient is actually the three-layered pork rib meat.
This is because a crucial step in making lion’s head is to finely cut the fatty and lean meat into pomegranate seed-sized particles, then meticulously mix the stuffing according to traditional proportions.
Only then can an authentic and genuine lion’s head be made.
Although pork belly is marbled, the fat and lean parts are interwoven, so before preparation, they must be completely separated.
This step not only tests the chef’s patience but also challenges their knife skills.
However, this was not difficult for Huang Jun!
With swift knife strokes, he effortlessly peeled the pork skin from the belly, then placed the prepared pork belly in the center of the cutting board.
During the separation of the fat and lean, his eyes were focused, his hand steady, carefully slicing the fat layer near the skin, and then accurately removing the first layer of lean meat.
There was no sloppiness throughout the process.
Finally.
He separated every layer of fat and lean thoroughly and neatly, with no trace of lean meat in the fat and the lean meat’s surface remaining spotlessly clean, unsullied by any grease.
This precision in handling ingredients and mastery of knife skills left Chef Wu, Zhao Weiguang, and Yu Daqing all dumbstruck, filled with admiration inside.
"It’s truly amazing..."
Chef Wu watched silently, an unspeakable sense of respect rising within him.
Honestly, although he had achieved some success in cooking, compared to Huang Jun, he felt overshadowed, ashamed of his own inferiority.
Zhao Weiguang and Yu Daqing were equally astonished, exchanging looks and seeing the same shock in each other’s eyes.
Such exquisite knife skills were beyond imagination, and if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn’t believe such expertise could come from a young person.
Remembering their experiences with handling ingredients, they often needed to repeatedly cut and trim to achieve satisfactory results, while Huang Jun could do it in one swift motion, accurately, which made them secretly feel humbled.
However, good knife skills do not fully represent good culinary skills.
More observation is needed!
Huang Jun had no time to care about the thoughts of those around him, as he was busy preparing to cut the meat stuffing.
He first cut the prepared lean meat into slices about four centimeters long, each piece as if measured with a ruler, neat and uniform.
He stacked these slices layer by layer, constructing a compact and orderly "brick of meat."
With the kitchen knife skillfully moving in his hand, this "brick of meat" instantly transformed into countless thin strips, each about four millimeters square, uniformly sized.
After cutting the strips, Huang Jun didn’t pause, but meticulously organized them and wielded the knife again, cutting them into four millimeter square particles.
Following this meticulous series of operations, the preliminary preparation of the lean meat stuffing was satisfactorily completed.
By contrast, processing the fat meat seemed slightly simpler, as fat lacks complex connective tissue and has a looser structure.
But fat meat also posed its own challenge—being overly greasy.
During the cutting process, the fat’s grease inevitably stuck to his hands, making the knife slippery and affecting the uniformity of the cut particles, with even a risk of cutting his hand.