Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 236

The area near the Central Mine was known for temperatures so high that only dwarves could endure them.

The beer available here was lukewarm and flat.

The same went for other alcoholic beverages.

Even the finest wine would spoil within a week.

“Indeed, many would be tempted by the prospect of enjoying a cold beer. However, that’s a pleasure readily available even in the Tuscan Confederation. That alone isn’t enough… Can I at least try this ‘Chimek’ you speak of?”

Keinzel wore a triumphant smile.

At this point, he was more than halfway to achieving his goal.

“However, to make Chimek, we need access to the Central Subway tracks.”

Santos shuddered involuntarily.

“You need railway tracks, not an oven or kiln, to cook chicken?”

*What kind of dish was the man in front of him planning to make?*

He was dying of curiosity.

“Besides, you’ll also get to taste beer so cold it’ll make your whole body tingle. What do you say? Just let us use the tracks for about half a day.”

“Cough, cough!”

He could practically taste it just by allowing the use of the subway tracks for a short while.

In the end, Santos couldn’t help but accept Keinzel’s offer.

“You wouldn’t raise my expectations this high and then serve ordinary chicken, would you? Alright, go ahead and make it as you wish.”

Keinzel spoke with conviction.

“You’ll definitely taste the most amazing chicken you’ve ever had.”

* * *

Keinzel began cooking in front of the seemingly endless subway tracks.

Santos couldn’t resist asking.

“Why are you cooking here instead of in the kitchen? Can you at least explain that first?”

“Well, I understand that the inside of the Central Subway tunnel is even hotter than here – about 60 degrees Celsius [140 degrees Fahrenheit], right?”

“…You’re well informed.”

“The more meat is cooked, the tougher it becomes. That’s because the meat shrinks due to the high temperature. You’ve had steak before, right?”

“Hmm. It’s true that the more well-done it is, the drier and less tasty it becomes.”

“That’s why we sear the outside to keep the juices inside. But that’s difficult with chicken. In the end, even if you cook it well, the breast meat is bound to be dry.”

It was an unavoidable issue when cooking chicken. That’s why most people prefer the tender and soft drumsticks or wings.

“Are you saying there’s a dish that overcomes that limitation?”

“Exactly.”

“…!”

“First, we completely seal the chicken, which has been pre-seasoned with spices, so that it doesn’t come into contact with air. Then, if we cook it very slowly at a lower temperature than usual, we can preserve the taste, aroma, moisture, texture, and nutrients. Then, even the usually dry chicken breast can remain very moist and tender.”

“Could it be that the temperature required for that is…”

“Yes. In the case of chicken, it’s exactly 61 degrees Celsius [142 degrees Fahrenheit]. Coincidentally, that’s almost the exact temperature of the Central Subway tracks. This is the only place on the continent where such a cooking method is possible.”

Blue Mountain used to talk about the Central Mine whenever he drank.

Even if he pretended otherwise, he missed his hometown where his brothers lived.

He had also heard about the unique environment of the subway tracks back then.

He wondered if there was a way to use it for cooking, and that’s how he came up with the Chimek he was about to make.

Santos felt a thrilling sensation, as if electricity was running down his spine.

He had been mining iron and mithril in the mine all his life and had made countless weapons with it.

*This will definitely be a masterpiece.*

Sometimes, he gets that feeling even before it’s completed.

And so far, the accuracy rate has been close to 100%.

“…The dish you’re about to make will definitely be a masterpiece. I have a feeling about it.”

Santos realized that there was no room for him to intervene any further.

Just as the mine and the smithy were his stage,

Keinzel was the protagonist here.

What he was about to make was a chicken dish that combined Britannia-style oven cooking with the intense spiciness of the Ottoman Empire.

On top of that, it needed to be vacuum-sealed and slow-cooked.

For that, he had to be able to feel even the slightest change in temperature.

Keinzel activated Fallen Star, which was the result of his experience with countless dishes.

“Now, let’s start cooking. First, finely grind the chili peppers and garlic and mix them with tomato puree. It smells really good, doesn’t it?”

He needed to add even more spiciness to it.

Santos’s eyes widened when he took out the spicy spices that were mainly eaten in the Ottoman Empire.

“You’re mixing coriander, cumin, and turmeric, and even adding garam masala [a blend of ground spices]?! That’s going to be incredibly spicy.”

As he said, the seasoning emitted a spiciness that stung the nose.

To soften it, he added a generous amount of natural yogurt made from goat’s milk.

*This will combine the flavors of the various spices into one.*

“It’s not enough to be just spicy. I’m going to add lemon juice to add a touch of sourness. And then season it with salt…”

“Oh! The scent has definitely softened!”

Keinzel made cuts all over the chicken legs.

The leg meat cooks more slowly than the breast meat. This is done to match the difference equally.

Then, he rubbed the fantastic seasoning all over the chicken.

“This will allow the flavor of the spices to soak into the meat well. How does it look? Very delicious, right?”

“Please, hurry up and finish the chicken dish… I’m drooling so much that it’s hard to answer.”

Now, the seasoned chicken must be made completely airtight.

What makes that possible was meringue, which is an aura-filled foam.

“Originally, you have to leave it like this for more than half a day for the seasoning to fully soak in. But if you slow-cook it in the Central Subway tunnel, 3 hours is enough.”

Then Santos knelt down with a look of fainting.

“D, do I have to wait that long?”

“Waiting is also a seasoning that enhances the taste of the dish. Don’t worry. You’ll definitely taste the best chicken you’ve ever had.”

“Cough…”

Keinzel loaded the seasoned chicken onto a mine cart waiting on the subway tracks.

Now, if you take it around this area once, the pre-cooking is finished.

After 3 hours, which was like hell for Santos, the mine cart that had left returned.

Keinzel took out the soft and glossy chicken from inside.

When he peeled off the meringue that was covering the outside, the smell of moderately cooked chicken began to spread rapidly.

Then, the dwarves who were working in the next area flocked over.

“Where is that spicy and savory smell coming from…”

“Damn it! How can I work when there’s such an appetizing smell?!”

“Bring me the meat right now! Otherwise, I’m going on strike!”

Santos had to sweat for a while to calm the excited dwarves.

Only the final stage remained until the completion of Chimek.

“Now, to make the outside of the chicken crispy, we’ll grill it once more in the brazier.”

“T, the explanation is fine! Hurry, hurry!”

Before putting it in the brazier, he put a lemon that had been poked here and there to allow the juice to flow out well inside the chicken.

*This will make the sour taste even better.*

After confirming that the temperature of the brazier was exactly 200 degrees [392 degrees Fahrenheit], he baked the chicken for about 30 minutes.

Then the skin turns crispy, maximizing the pleasure of eating.

“We’re going to serve it with a sour gravy sauce mixed with yogurt. Then you can enjoy the taste of chicken without leaving a single drop of juice. Now, please bring me the freshest beer possible. I’ll cool it down right away.”

“Hoo… Now I can finally eat that Chimek. I’ll have to give the beer to everyone here, even if I don’t have the chicken. Otherwise, they’re really going to strike.”

Santos ran to the warehouse and brought a large beer barrel. It was several times bigger than his body.

“Then I’ll cool it down using sherbet [a frozen dessert], so please step away for a moment.”

Then cheers erupted from all over the place.

No one had ever thought that they would get to eat cold beer in the Central Mine.

The lukewarm beer turned so cold that it was covered in frost.

“Now, let’s cut this hateful guy. How is it? The outside is crispy and the inside is moist… It’s literally the ideal chicken.”

The way the chicken was being cut looked so delicious that the eyes of the dwarves who were watching turned upside down.

“Why is Santos the only one eating that delicious chicken?! Me too…! I want to eat it too!”

“Am I not the vitist [most respected elder] of the clan! I’m just going to hit it first! If I eat it and it’s really delicious, I’m going to ask you to make it for you guys, so please bear with me while drinking beer.”

“Well, if you say so…”

Eventually, Santos’s Chimek tasting began with everyone’s attention focused on him.

Santos first drank beer with the spicy and savory smell of chicken as a snack.

The liquor made with orange peel had a refreshing fruity scent.

Gulp, gulp-!

When he drank it all at once, he felt a slightly bitter, refreshing, and subtle sour taste.

It was a proper beer with a tongue-tingling carbonation.

At first, he was just thinking of wetting his lips, but before he knew it, half of the wooden glass was empty.

“Kuh…! It’s really cool to the bone! When I drank it yesterday, it tasted like horse piss… After all, beer tastes best when it’s cold!”

His body, which had been heated by the heat of the mine, cooled down and he felt a chill.

Now is the moment to eat chicken.

Santos picked up a chicken leg that was well seasoned and stuffed it into his mouth in one go.

When he bit into it, *crunching*.

The skin flavored with various spices crumbles and rich gravy overflows.

How about the tender flesh that is so tender that it is hard to believe that it is the same food as the chicken you have eaten so far?

It combined with the crispy skin to create a tremendous flavor.

“Ah…! Ah ah…!”

Santos’s mouth was constantly filled with exclamations.

It was so delicious that he thought he might faint. The chicken heats up the mouth that has been cooled with beer.

Before the aftertaste disappears, he drinks beer again.

Only then did Santos realize why this dish was called Chimek, not beer or chicken.

The soft flesh is preserved as it is in a vacuum state and cooked at a low temperature, and the hot gravy is preserved as it is.

The scent of spicy spices stimulates the appetite, and the crispy skin that tears apart the moment you put it in your mouth is also special.

There, the taste of bitter beer is harmonized. Santos has been drinking alcohol with various kinds of meat as snacks so far. But this was the first time he had ever seen a combination that maximized each other’s strengths.

The spicy chicken heats up the mouth, and the cool beer cools it down. Then you want to eat chicken again.

Santos ate a whole chicken in an instant and muttered with a surprised expression.

“I never thought you could use the subway to make food that goes so well with beer…”

Everything was close to a miracle.

Keinzel looked at the dwarves gathered around Santos.

Everyone was sipping beer with a face that said they wanted to eat chicken so badly.

*As planned. At this point, they’re in a mood to help me with everything, not just half of it, right?*

“Do you know about the Meat War?”

“Of course. It’s a mess these days because of that.”

“Currently, the Ottoman Empire is divided into pork and beef, and they are constantly in conflict. But what if a third force, chicken, is added there? If chicken receives the highest support, the meat war that has lasted for hundreds of years will end. Moreover, in order to make it, you need dwarves who can withstand the hot heat and this Central Mine. Surely the dwarves’ voice within the Empire will be greatly increased.”

Then Santos’s eyes lit up as he enjoyed the aftertaste of Chimek.

With this taste, it seemed enough to captivate the people of the Ottoman Empire.

Central is one of the best mines that can mine not only abundant iron ore but also rare mithril.

Even before the great drought began in earnest, there were several disputes over the mining rights here.

“Cough, cough. Did you think that far? Certainly, with Chimek alone, we can further enhance the dwarves’ position. But you’re human, aren’t you? I’m curious as to why you’re doing so much for our race.”

Keinzel lied without even wetting his lips.

“Blue Mountain is a great blacksmith and a major contributor to the development of Gistad Territory. Why would I need a reason to help his brothers?”

Then Santos grabbed Keinzel’s hand with a touched face.

“I think I misunderstood you. After all, you are my brother’s benefactor. No, from now on, I should call you the benefactor of our clan.”

Keinzel turned his head to the side so that Santos wouldn’t notice and smirked.

*Good! At this point, I can get a few new cooking tools as a bonus, right?*

As expected, the way of thinking of the artisan race, who devote their lives to only one thing, was simple.

Santos coughed a few times and asked.

“But if the whole clan is going to share it, there must be at least 500 chickens… No, there must be 1,000 chickens. Moreover, in order to promote Chimek throughout the Ottoman Empire, we need dozens of times that number. Where are you going to get that many chickens?”

Keinzel had already prepared an answer to that.

“That can be easily solved by using the subway.”