Gourmet: Twins' Father and Chef of the Kindergarten

Chapter 488 - 449: One Remark Reveals the Truth

"Wow, this Dragon Well Shrimp is truly the embodiment of artistry, stunningly beautiful..."

Jiang Shuihan, trying to hide his excitement, aimed his camera lens at the freshly made Dragon Well Shrimp by Huang Jun, giving it a big close-up.

Under the lens’s meticulous capture...

The texture of the shrimp appeared extraordinarily exquisite, like dewdrops rolling on a lotus leaf under the morning light, emitting a soft and enticing glow, pure enough to see through one’s heart.

The accompanying Dragon Well tea leaves were even more vibrant, full of life between their curled leaves, forming a distinct yet harmonious contrast with the pristine white of the shrimp, together painting a vivid "Spring Day Picture".

This scene not only touched Jiang Shuihan’s heart but also made Lv Pengfei swallow unconsciously.

Hungry!

Want to eat!

Had it been a normal day, Huang Jun would definitely have enthusiastically invited them to taste and share his culinary achievements.

But today is somewhat special.

The park welcomed a distinguished group of guests—a brave team of firefighters.

It’s possible that they would join Director Liang in the kitchen to dine next.

Therefore.

To avoid the rudeness of tasting first in front of them and the potential awkwardness, Huang Jun could only suppress his urge to share, responding to Jiang Shuihan and Lv Pengfei’s anticipation with just a smile.

Qian Guoxiang couldn’t help but praise, "This Dragon Well Shrimp is truly well made. Chef Huang’s skills are admirable!"

Even though the cooking process of Dragon Well Shrimp seemed short, every step was a rigorous test of timing —

From lightly oiling the shrimp to the final quick stir-fry, every second was precise to the millimeter, undoubtedly challenging the chef’s skills and expertise.

What is especially worth mentioning...

The essence of this dish lies in the shrimp’s flawless white purity, akin to fresh snow.

Only when the shrimp reveals a jade-like pure color, can the dish be declared perfect and flawless.

Of course.

The allure of gourmet often lies in diversity and harmony; the role of Dragon Well tea leaves in this dish cannot be ignored.

When they dance under the spatula...

The tea leaves must maintain their integrity and vibrant green, with no wrinkles or damage, like a messenger of spring bringing freshness and vitality.

It’s this combination that makes the white shrimp and green tea leaves reflect each other, allowing the viewer to feel a refreshing atmosphere at a glance.

All of this, Huang Jun has presented perfectly.

This shows that his culinary skills have improved significantly...

Impressive youth!

Impressive youth indeed!

Qian Guoxiang’s admiration for Huang Jun was overflowing, considering him the most talented and potential young chef he had ever seen.

No exceptions!

Just then.

Aunt Li and Aunt Lin brought in the cleaned shrimp heads and shells, smiling as they said to Huang Jun, "Chef Huang, we have prepared the shrimp heads and shells as you requested, washed twice in clean water, is this okay?"

Huang Jun glanced over, nodding with satisfaction, "Very good, just leave them there."

He pointed to the workbench, and Aunt Li complied.

Lv Pengfei curiously asked, "Chef Huang, what are you going to use these shrimp shells and heads for?"

Huang Jun smiled mysteriously, "Take a guess?"

Lv Pengfei chuckled, "Chef Huang, don’t tease me, I’m an outsider, how would I know!"

"Chef Huang wants to use them to make shrimp oil!" Qian Guoxiang revealed the secret.

Lv Pengfei suddenly realized, "Oh, I see!"

Huang Jun poured half a pot of peanut oil into the pan. While the oil was still cold, he dumped in the shrimp heads and shells all at once.

Lv Pengfei curiously asked, "Chef Huang, are you putting them in before the oil is hot?"

Huang Jun patiently explained, "To make shrimp oil, you have to add the shrimp heads and shells when the pan and oil are still cold. Otherwise, once the oil heats up, the shrimp roe and shrimp paste in the heads and shells will splatter all over the oil, making the shrimp oil less clear."

"Actually, when making shrimp oil, using lard would make the aroma even richer," Qian Guoxiang interjected.

"Assistant Chef Qian is absolutely right!" Huang Jun nodded in agreement. "When you make it with lard and store it in the refrigerator, the shrimp oil will solidify, sealing the aroma perfectly in the fat. But we don’t have lard prepared here, and the quantity of shrimp shells and heads isn’t that much. To save time, I decided not to use lard."

Qian Guoxiang thought it made sense.

Lard is not easy to store, and it’s not good to eat too much of it.

Besides, this shrimp oil probably won’t last long; it will be gone after one use.

Going out of the way to make lard indeed seems unnecessary.

Huang Jun now added some ginger and spring onion to the pan for flavor.

This way, the shrimp oil not only smells fragrant but also effectively removes the fishy odor.

The process of making shrimp oil is like making scallion oil or crab oil, requiring patience and care, using a medium-low heat to simmer slowly.

There’s no rushing it.

During the simmering process, you occasionally need to gently press the shrimp heads with a spoon, so their essence is fully released into the oil.

This is how the shrimp oil turns out delicious and fresh.

Also, pressing them makes the shrimp heads crispier. After making the shrimp oil, these crispy shrimp heads and shells shouldn’t be wasted. Sprinkle some pepper and salt on them as a small snack; they’re fragrant, crispy, and delicious no matter how you eat them.

Before long...

A pot of red and enticing shrimp oil was ready, its fragrance spreading, making everyone’s mouths water.

Huang Jun quickly scooped out the shrimp heads and shells, then carefully filtered out impurities with a fine mesh sieve, leaving the pure, glossy shrimp oil.

After filtering, he set it aside to cool, planning to put it in glass jars and seal them for refrigeration once it was completely cooled.

As for those golden, crispy shrimp heads and shells, Huang Jun sprinkled some pepper and salt on them, mixing well.

He placed them on separate plates and brought them out, planning to treat the colleagues in the garden later.

Jiang Shuihan looked at the plates of shrimp heads and shells, rich in color, aroma, and taste, with a look of surprise in his eyes, sighing, "These are no longer shrimp scraps; they’re a delightful surprise on the dining table, a real eye-opener."

Standing beside him, Lv Pengfei immediately nodded in agreement, "Exactly, it’s truly unexpected. These shrimp heads and shells, often overlooked, have turned into such an enticing delicacy under Chef Huang’s skillful hands!"

Just then.

Liang Yinqiu led Wei Chengyi and a group of firefighters into the kitchen. Their conversation just happened to reach her ears, prompting a curious expression on her face. She asked, "Oh? What delicious food are you talking about? It sounds so tempting!"

Seeing this, Jiang Shuihan smiled and waved Liang Yinqiu over, pointing to the plate of aromatic shrimp heads and shells, saying, "Director Liang, you came at the right time. We were just chatting about the snacks Chef Huang prepared!"

Huang Jun explained with a smile, "We just made Dragon Well Shrimp, and I couldn’t bear to throw away the leftover shrimp heads and shells, so I made shrimp oil. This plate is made from the leftover shrimp heads and shells after making shrimp oil, with a sprinkle of pepper and chili, perfect as a snack."

"It looks and smells wonderful! I could smell the aroma from the doorway just now." Wei Chengyi’s eyes were glued to the plate of snacks, and he couldn’t help but swallow before turning around, looking at Huang Jun with admiration, "You must be the legendary Chef Huang! It’s truly an honor to meet you today!"

Liang Yinqiu quickly introduced them, "Chef Huang, this is Captain Wei from our fire station. Captain Wei, this is Chef Huang from our garden."

Wei Chengyi promptly adjusted his posture, politely extending his hand, "Chef Huang, nice to meet you!"

"Captain Wei, nice to meet you! Firefighter heroes, feel free to try my handiwork," Huang Jun politely shook his hand back and then warmly invited them.

"Absolutely, we’d love to!"

Wei Chengyi and the others gladly accepted, each picking up a fried, golden, crispy shrimp head and popping it into their mouths.

These shrimp heads were fried to a perfect crunch, with the pepper salt seasoning fully absorbing its flavor. Each bite was filled with the crispy texture and savory seasoning...

"It’s crispy and delicious, perfect as an appetizer," Wei Chengyi praised.

"This skill is amazing, making even shrimp heads so tasty."

Liu Wujie and the others nodded frequently, their anticipation for the upcoming lunch growing immensely...