I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 637 - 296: Little Sous Chef, How Long Can You Keep This Act Up? A Representative Dish of Salt-Baked Style! [Subscribe Request]_3

Chapter 637: Chapter 296: Little Sous Chef, How Long Can You Keep This Act Up? A Representative Dish of Salt-Baked Style! [Subscribe Request]_3

Today’s chicken gizzards were quite a luxury, using only those two choicest, muscular portions. These are the essence of the chicken gizzard, the part used for Oil-fried Double Crispy.

Lin Xu scooped a few into a basin. Chen Yan and Shen Baobao immediately reached out to eat them, but Lin Xu stopped them.

"You can’t eat them now; wait a little longer."

Right now, the surface of the chicken gizzards was covered with fine salt grains. Eating them directly would be unbearably salty; the salt grains had to be wiped off first to enjoy their fresh and delicious taste.

After portioning them all out, he grabbed a box of kitchen paper, wiped each chicken gizzard, then fetched a clean plate, laid down a lettuce leaf, and began to arrange them on it.

Shen Baobao asked curiously, "Not going to slice them?"

Just now, when Lin Xu had stopped her from eating, she thought he was going to slice them. It turned out he was just wiping and plating them.

Lin Xu picked one up and tore it with his hand, revealing the fine, dense texture within. He popped it into his mouth. Savoring the gizzard’s resilient yet crisp and tender texture, he said, "The tastiest way to eat Salt Baked Chicken Gizzards is to tear them by hand. Tear the gizzard meat into thin strips before putting them in your mouth. The more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes."

"Really?"

Shen Baobao, mimicking Lin Xu, picked up a piece of gizzard. Finding it very hot, she quickly blew on it, then tore off a piece and tasted it. It was indeed delicious.

"Wow, this texture is incredible! It had so much salt yet isn’t salty at all—super delicious! Yan Bao, you must try it quickly."

After salt-baking, both the texture and flavor of the chicken gizzards were elevated to a new level. The texture was dense and resilient, yet didn’t lack a satisfying crispness. Moreover, it had a good chewiness without being tough on the teeth—truly exceptional.

After eating one, even though Lin Xu didn’t usually crave alcohol, he felt the urge to have a small drink. This stuff was just too perfect for pairing with alcohol.

Carrying the dish outside, Lin Xu immediately caught the attention of Shen Guofu, who was just about to finish the liquor in his cup before dinner. "What’s this thing?"

"Chicken gizzards, Salt Baked Chicken Gizzards. Dad, try them. They should be to your taste."

Lin Xu had barely finished speaking when Shen Baobao began to enlighten her parents on the knack of eating them by hand. Anyone listening would have thought she was quite knowledgeable, but in reality, she had only learned it herself two minutes prior.

Shen Guofu tried a bite following his daughter’s instructions and immediately unscrewed the bottle cap to refill his cup of liquor. "This liquor pairs too well with the dish... Oh, no, this dish calls for too much liquor! It would be a disservice to such delicious food not to have a couple more drinks. Lin Xu, are you done? Once you’re finished, let’s you and I sit down and have a drink."

Han Shuzhen shot her husband a helpless glance. I’ll let you drink to your heart’s content today, but if you dare turn onto Yingchun Street after work tomorrow, you’ll be in for it tonight!

She picked up a chicken gizzard that was still slightly hot. Mimicking her daughter, she tore off a piece and tasted it. Both the texture and flavor were top-notch. No wonder Old Shen’s craving for alcohol was triggered by just one bite. These chicken gizzards truly were an excellent accompaniment to alcohol.

I need to find some time to talk to my son-in-law. I can’t keep letting him indulge Old Shen. Otherwise, every new dish will be an excuse for drinking. When will it end?

Lin Xu had just sat down and was about to start eating when Chen Yan, who was in high spirits, asked, "Brother-in-law, besides these, what else can be salt-baked? Don’t mention Salt Baked Chicken; it’s too much trouble. Tell me something simpler."

"Simpler?" Lin Xu thought for a moment and replied, "Salt Baked Large Shrimp, that’s relatively simple. Trim off the antennae, Shrimp Spear, claws, and head. Then remove the sand sac from the head and devein them. Bury them in hot salt and let them bake for ten minutes. After that, simply dig them out and they’re ready."

Chen Yan was flabbergasted. "Brother-in-law, do you have some misunderstanding of the word ’simple’? Preparing the shrimp like that, you call that simple?"

She asked curiously, "Is there anything simpler than that?"

"Sure. You can just bury the shrimp directly without cleaning them. But then, it will take a bit of effort to eat because you’ll need to remove the vein before eating. Also, when you bake them, pay attention to the heat, as the shrimp legs can easily get burnt."

So, you just bury them directly? Chen Yan immediately decided to give it a try.

Lin Xu went on to say, "All shelled seafood, including crabs, sea snails, scallops, razor clams, and so on, can be buried in salt to be salt-baked. They all turn out exceptionally flavorful."

The more he spoke, the more excited Chen Yan became. She was very eager to try the taste and texture of salt-baked seafood.

Salt-baking is originally a cooking method from coastal regions, similar in principle to baking mutton in sand in the Northwest deserts.

Curiously, Han Shuzhen asked, "Xu, what salt-baked dish are you planning to make for Lele’s academic achievement celebration?"

For such a significant event as Lele’s academic achievement celebration, a representative salt-baked dish was, of course, essential.

Lin Xu said, "I’m preparing to make Salt Baked Chicken. I’ll have Old Huang send over some freshly slaughtered free-range chickens. I’ll make a large batch so everyone can try something fresh."

At the mention of Salt Baked Chicken, Shen Guofu felt he could down another glass of liquor. It was yet another dish perfect for pairing with liquor.

He picked up his glass and took a sip. "Then we’re all looking forward to eating it."

For the ladies, the beauty-enhancing steam pot chicken was more anticipated. However, the men, who enjoyed drinking, preferred dishes like Salt Baked Chicken with its excellent texture and savory flavor.

「Two days later, at noon.」

Just after lunch, Old Huang delivered about ten free-range chickens. "Brother Lin, why the sudden need for so many chickens?"

"We’re hosting an academic achievement celebration tonight, and these are for the banquet."

Hearing this, Old Huang immediately adopted an expression that said, "I may not be well-educated, but don’t try to fool me. Don’t academic achievement celebrations usually happen once the college entrance exam scores are released? Holding an academic achievement celebration at this time of year? Are they preparing for a repeat year, or is this a warm-up for next year’s college entrance exams?"

Lin Xu said with a smile, "That little girl with the mushroom haircut who often eats at the restaurant was admitted to the gifted class at Tsinghua University. Admission to these special talent programs isn’t like regular enrollment; students report as soon as they’re recruited."

Nowadays, universities are desperate to snatch up talent. Lele, at least, was already a high school senior. It’s said that the gifted class and Yao Class even recruit high school freshmen and sophomores through special admission, with the youngest being middle school students. Geniuses, after all, can’t be viewed through the lens of ordinary rules and regulations.

Old Huang then said, "One of my two sons joined the army after high school, and the other went to a vocational college; neither got into a four-year university. I must come tonight to offer congratulations and soak up some of that good fortune, hoping my grandchildren’s generation will produce a university graduate."

Lin Xu was speechless. You’re praying at the wrong shrine. With Lele’s penchant for skipping class, if she were to ’absorb’ any of this auspicious qi, she might not even make it into a vocational college. Still, an academic achievement celebration is a joyous event, and one can’t turn away well-wishers.

He said with a smile, "Do come tonight. It’ll be a good chance for you to try some dishes you’ve never had before."

Hearing this, Old Huang became even more determined to offer a congratulatory gift.

Entering the kitchen, Lin Xu washed the chickens inside and out again, then took some sand ginger powder, salt, and peanut oil and began preparing the famous Ke Family dish—Salt Baked Chicken!