Gourmet: From a Stall in Northern Europe-Chapter 131 - 115: Unlocking New Ideas—A Win-Win for Food Carts and Restaurants

After all, with limited time and ingredients, being able to make a delicious broth in such a short time, both had no objections to the two soups.

Especially the tofu fish soup, which was truly enlightening for them, a taste they had never experienced before.

The delicious fish soup carried a rich aroma, without any fishiness, yet the freshness of the fish itself could be distinctly tasted.

Though tofu tends to be quite bland, paired with the lightly peppered white fish soup, it mysteriously felt like a perfect match, effectively removing the slight greasiness of the fish soup.

Finally, the main course.

Lin Chen minced a variety of small fish into a paste, adding crunchy diced celery, carrot, and tender French onions to enhance the texture.

Then, he mixed in an appropriate amount of starch, sea salt, crushed black pepper, kneading evenly, making a fish paste, and squeezed small balls through the palm, dropping them into hot water to cook.

In Western cuisine, ribbonfish is rarely used as an ingredient because it yields little meat; compared to salmon, tuna, trout, cod, or halibut, its meat content is almost negligible.

Ribbonfish are also a type of fish without small bones, with only fin-connected bones and a central backbone; removing the meat simply involves following the standard fish fillet method.

The thin fish fillets are only as thick as fries; cut to palm-length, they are simply pan-fried with butter into crispy-skinned, tender fillets, seasoned with a little sea salt and black pepper.

Ribbonfish naturally have a strong ocean scent, requiring a strong sauce to suppress; in Chinese cuisine, they are typically braised, while in Western cuisine, acidic flavors are usually favored.

With ready-made Italian sweet concentrated balsamic sauce at hand, a slice of pineapple, two asparagus spears, and two cherry tomatoes are pan-fried with butter, along with the handmade fish balls and pan-fried ribbonfish fillets, simply plated, drizzled with the balsamic sauce, and lightly sprinkled with cayenne pepper for garnish, enhancing the layering of flavors.

Compared to the pineapple ribbonfish fillet, the cheese-baked lobster tail was even more eye-catching.

The middle of the lobster tail shell was trimmed, with the whole lobster meat laid back inside the shell, coated with a generous amount of garlic butter and cheese.

Once brought out of the oven, the kitchen filled with the rich aroma of garlic butter and cheesy cream.

The cheese used was a blend of cream cheese, mozzarella, and cheddar, mixed with softened butter and garlic paste, simply seasoned with sea salt and black pepper.

After baking, the cheese sauce formed a thin layer over the lobster meat, golden and enticing, with the surface fats sizzling continuously.

The baked lobster tail doesn't require much plating; its visual impact is striking enough on its own.

But that's not the end of it.

Fresh sea urchin shouldn't be wasted. Cutting open the spine shell, removing excess innards and membranes, washing clean, gently scooping out the golden lobes with a spoon, arranging them neatly and spreading over the lobster tail surface.

The sea urchin roe, creamy and delicate, bursting with sweetness, requires no additional seasoning; its deliciousness stands on its own.

Paired with the firm and plump lobster tail, it works like a natural sauce.

A little bit of lobster broth is drizzled at the bottom of the plate for added moisture and savoriness.

The baked lobster tail made with live lobster has its juices perfectly sealed inside by the cheese, and when cut, the juices could be seen slowly dripping down.

Such a substantial whole lobster tail must be eaten in large mouthfuls to satisfy.

No need for photos, just simply enjoying dinner without hesitation, the two women eagerly divided it into six large pieces, blowing on it twice before stuffing it into their mouths.

"Huff~ Huff~ It's hot!"

"No wonder it's fresh lobster, every bite gushes with juice, and the lobster meat is so springy as if it's alive, struggling in my mouth."

The lobster meat was already sweet enough, further enhanced by the garlic butter and cheese, highlighting the seafood's sweetness.

As they chewed, the sea urchin roe unintentionally melted, its unique sweetness dominating over even the garlic cheese.

Both women nodded in satisfaction as they quickly devoured their portions and then shifted their focus to the nearby ribbonfish fillet.

"You two can share this plate; I've got some leftovers on my end."

Western cuisine emphasizes plating; even if portions are slightly small, they're not allowed to be served at the table.

Only the central part of the fish can be used for the fillet; the tail ends are naturally unused scraps, but their taste is the same, often used for staff meals or tasting.

Dais was trying ribbonfish for the first time; although she had seen it in the supermarket, she had never tasted it nor seen any restaurants selling it, so she never dared to buy it casually. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Elsa was more experienced; the Sakura People's experience with seafood is ranked among the world's top.

Ribbonfish is relatively common in their daily diet, but the methods are simple, mostly grilled with salt.

Seeing it turned into a Western dish is a first for her, too.

Each took a piece of the fillet, cut a sizable piece of fish, covered it with the sweet balsamic glaze, tasting it, their expressions turned a bit puzzled.

If you were to say it's not tasty, it's obviously not true; the pairing is delicious.

The crispy fish skin and the juicy, tender fish flesh were cooked perfectly, with the slight salty ocean flavor masked by the sweet sauce, almost undetectable.

But to say it's particularly delicious, it wasn't; it was of an ordinary restaurant's standard.