Lu Xinyi's soup received full marks for her corn soup. Everyone, within the room except Shen Yi who had previously tasted all the three dishes before them, gave their scores. His eyes fixed on his wife's face, noticing the difference in her today. Her eyes weren't shining like they were when she conquered Silver Leaf's exams. There was nothing but calmness in her demeanor.
"This is so good, Madam Shen!" Mo Liwei exclaimed, "There's still the seared foie gras and prime rib. To be able to perfectly replicate this soup, you'll be a great contender at Silver Leaf."
He Haotian nodded, finally showing some reaction to Lu Xinyi's dish. "This is a good start, Madam Shen. Do you realize now how much potential you could have if you become a professional food taster?"
He still believed that Lu Xinyi could be a great food critic someday, but if she really insisted on becoming a chef, there's nothing else he could do but accept her decision.
"I have no plans of changing my mind." Lu Xinyi nonchalantly replied. She took the bowls away and cleared the table, ready to serve her seared foie gras.
When she served her next dish, Gu Meina held her breath. Her eyes widened with shock written all over her face. The plating of the foie gras was so intricate that she suddenly felt she was dining in a high-class restaurant than her old family's inn.
As if in a trance, she took her knife and fork, slicing the delectable dish in front of her and ignoring the curious look the siblings threw at her. Putting it in her mouth, she was able to discern the slight crisp on the outside, but inside it was so smooth and velvety that it easily slid down her throat.
It tasted like butter. It tasted like the most delicious, velvety, buttery, and creamy deliciousness that she'd never tasted in her whole life. Probably, the most fabulous flavor that she'd tried, something that she couldn't possibly cook. He Haotian had once told her before that cooking foie gras could be as simple as frying an egg if one had the basic knowledge on how to prepare and cook it.
Following her lead, He Haotian took a taste on his foie gras and hummed in delight. "Such precise and coordinated cooking skills—you even mastered controlling the heat."
Searing and pan frying foie gras was a no-fuss method that anyone could master. The preparation was so easy that the sauce would take more time and effort. A sauce with a balance of sweetness and acidity was the perfect complement to the taste of the foie gras, which Lu Xinyi easily achieved by perfecting the flavors without adding unnecessary seasonings.
Meanwhile, both Mo siblings were in a daze—especially Mo Lihui. The foie gras was served with skill. Was this the most obvious difference between her and Lu Xinyi? How come they were both amateurs in terms of cooking, and yet Lu Xinyi had surpassed her and was able to produce restaurant-quality meals?
Mo Lihui now looked at Lu Xinyi differently. Her eyes landed on Lu Xinyi's injured hand. She wondered how many times Lu Xinyi hurt herself until she perfected the dish, how long had she spent working alone in the kitchen to master her skills unlike her who stuck with what she knew and never ventured and learned something new to improve.
"Ah, I can't wait to taste it." Her brother swallowed and cut a large chunk from his foie gras. "Hmmm…" He closed his eyes, savoring the flavor as if sitting in a high-class restaurant, trying to find fault on Lu Xinyi's dish.
They finished the second dish without any problems. They all enjoyed the seared foie gras, but it was He Haotian who was really impressed by Lu Xinyi's precise control of the heat and flavor. Keeping the best quality of the ingredient was so hard that even the professional chefs struggled with it, and yet Lu Xinyi was able to estimate the right temperature to keep it without ruining its flavor.
There was a variety of choices to use for foie gras, but the most important thing to remember was that the fatty texture of foie gras should be complemented with a balanced sauce containing both sweetness and acidity.
"I hate to say this, but Madam Shen's version is better than yours, Anyang." Gu Meina shook her head. "Very delicious. I want another portion, but knowing that this foie gras is literally a block of fat, it would ruin my figure."
"Nah, it's fine. I still like you even if you turned into a blob of fat, too." He Haotian joked which received a glare and a jab on his side from the woman beside him.
Lu Xinyi presented the last dish and waited silently at the corner for their opinions. Just like the previous dishes, she didn't disappoint them. The robust taste that they were expecting to taste from the steak had hit their palate at once. She served it in medium rare just like what He Haotian made earlier.
It was roasted to perfection and cooked with extra vigilance to avoid ruining the meat. It was so flavorful, thanks to incredible marbling that allowed its fat to give it a taste and tenderness boost naturally.
"There aren't any mistakes in the three dishes you presented to us. I concede. Congratulations, Madam Shen. " He Haotian turned to his best friend's daughter. By looking at her, he was reminded of his regret of not being able to help Lu Sibai when he needed it the most.
He swore deep in his heart that he would not let Lu Xinyi suffer the same fate as her father, that he would not let her ability and talent to go to waste. He would be damned if he'll let the Sun family subdue another Lu in front of him.
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