The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

Cabone shook his robe and said smugly, "This was the most fashionable look back then."

"May I ask how long ago your 'back then' was..."

"It was about 2000 years ago."

"So long! So long that Greece has become Ancient Greece!!"

"Haha, your sense of time is too sensitive."

Cabone took 30 crystal banknotes from the counter and gave 15 to each of them.

"1500 magic coins per person, thanks for your help." He smiled brightly. "Now the customers shouldn't get lost, and the shop can finally reopen."

Aunt Huise scoffed, "We don't have many customers to begin with, so why bother opening for business! You two are just meddling in other people's business. Let this shabby shop rot in the forest, that's all."

Cabone whispered, "Please don't mind her, my aunt's mood always goes downhill in the second half of the year..."

Unlike the dejected and depressed Huise, Caboni was radiating a cheerful atmosphere. He put up the parasol and small table outside again, displayed a hand-drawn sign that read "Warm Kitchen Helper Wanted, 4000 Magic Coins a Month," and then turned around to write today's recommended menu, busy as a bee.

However, it was already 6:30, and there wasn't a single customer in the tavern. Aunt Huise lay on the table, only letting out a sneer.

"If you want to kill time, just find somewhere to sleep, right?" She glanced at the two of them. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"not yet……"

"Then let's sit a little longer; we can't forget to show courtesy to our guests."

Without asking their opinions, she went into the kitchen and got to work. Cabone seemed to have expected this, as she had already laid out a tablecloth for them.

"What kind of food do you like? We've been to many countries—"

“There’s only one menu here, Cabernet!” Whither exclaimed. “Only Greek food and a little bit of Roman food.”

Before he could finish his question, Huther interrupted him. Cabone smiled apologetically and turned to say, "Auntie, you have to try new things."

"Then go and become a Roman!"

"Rome has been dead for so long..."

"It's only been a little over 200 years since the Holy Roman Empire collapsed," said Lü Wenjun.

"Was that country considered Rome?" Cabone pondered. "I'm not sure. My impression is that they never cared about old traditions. Perhaps the Eastern Roman Empire would be a better fit..."

"Come on, he's got the same obsession with the Holy God, and I've never seen that old man say a word!" Huther said dismissively. "Here, have some salad."

She brought over a large wooden bowl filled to the brim with cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and small rectangular pieces of cheese.

Versa was indeed quite hungry. He took a large bite and found the flavor surprisingly refreshing and rich. The fresh vegetables had been frozen beforehand to enhance their crispness, and the cooked tomatoes balanced the temperature. The seasoning, consisting of only salt, olive oil, and a small amount of lemon juice, was anything but monotonous. The slightly tart cheese melted naturally as he chewed, bringing with it the taste of a sea breeze.

"oh oh……"

"This cheese is amazing!" Lu Wenjun exclaimed in surprise. "Is this rich flavor from goat milk?"

“You know your stuff! This dish is called Horiatiki, served with a salad seasoned with goat cheese. Everyone in my family back home loves it.” Cabone brought over two small bread rolls. “Try our signature dish, Dodo bread with sweet wine.”

The soft, fluffy bread rolls were incredibly springy, and eating them felt like dancing in your mouth. Lü Wenjun was amazed by the pastry chef's skill, only to be told that it was because of the ingredients—the bread was made from acorns, which gave it such a unique texture.

“You got a very worthwhile job,” Vilsa said, munching on her bread.

Lu Wenjun stared blankly at the small bread: "Honestly, I think the academy monsters have really picky tastes... How come such a good shop has no customers?"

They then sampled appetizers made with olives and honey, as well as two glasses of aperitif that tasted remarkably like cherry cola, during which Aunt Huyse beamed with delight at her enthusiastic praise. Finally, she served a large pot of beef stewed with various bell peppers and potatoes, its intense aroma of spices filling the air with anticipation.

Aunt Huise seemed much kinder than before: "Try it! This is Stifado, Greek beef soup."

Lu Wenjun eagerly ate a large piece of beef. He paused for a moment before saying, "Hmm... the beef is very fresh, and the seasoning is very rich!"

Huise's face immediately turned cold: "Young man, even if you have no ill intentions, you should not lie to your elders."

Lu Wenjun had nothing to say, so she could only give an awkward smile. She then turned to look at Wilsa: "You seem like an honest child."

Versa wiped her mouth and admitted, "I'm not really used to this dish. It's not warm enough for a winter festival, and it's too heavy for an evening in late summer or early autumn."

In fact, Virsa's words were quite euphemistic; Lü Wenjun immediately understood the reason for the tavern's poor business after just one bite.

—The seasoning is too strong!

Even by Western standards, this is a dish that would make anyone frown. The beef and vegetables were sautéed in oil before stewing, and then a large amount of wine was added as if it were free. The combination of oil and alcohol is already easy to make it greasy. Adding stock and strong paprika is not enough. Before serving, a large amount of salt, pepper and herb powder are sprinkled on top.

This dish is full of spices and oil, and although the ingredients are fresh and the cooking time is just right, how can it be called delicious?

Aunt Huise had clearly received this comment before. She threw off her apron and said dejectedly, "We might as well close the shop sooner."

Cabone tried to ease the tension: "Auntie, I think we can develop some new dishes..."

“I don’t cook dishes from other places! What’s wrong with our dishes?” Huise said angrily. “Not long ago, this was the most popular dish in the restaurant! Nowadays, people and monsters not only have short memories, but their tastes also change too quickly. I don’t want to do this kind of business anymore.”

“Aunt, your ‘not long ago’ was almost five hundred years ago,” Cabone said with a wry smile. “I don’t want to force you, so I’m planning to hire a kitchen helper…”

"Fine, now even you want to kick me out! Are you only happy when you force me to sit on that cold chair on a mountain?"

The two incredibly experienced veterans started arguing and began dredging up old grievances, leaving the two unfortunate students unsure whether to leave or stay. Vilsa bitterly sipped her beef soup, her eyes asking what to do next.

Lu Wenjun slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Who is it! Who said this dish is bad? This beef soup is so delicious!"

Hui Se immediately glared at him. Lü Wenjun put down his spoon and said with an awkward smile, "But I think if you'd like to add more ingredients, this dish would be even more delicious."

Before Huise could reply, Caboni asked curiously, "Tell me, what should we add?"

Chapter 35 30-Minute Macho Kitchen

A few minutes later, a cone-shaped plant appeared on the dining table. Its leaves were large, pinnately lobed, and its stem had a rough, white outer skin; it was a tender, juicy plant…

"radish?"

Lu Wenjun picked up the radish, weighed it in his hand, and praised, "This radish is quite substantial; the ingredients in your house are truly exceptional."

“Don’t talk nonsense, who puts radishes in beef soup!” Huther frowned.

"You know what, my family really adds this to stewed beef back home. Could I try it in the kitchen?"

Huise had no hope, and said grimly, "I will not allow you to waste food. If you do a bad job, you will have to eat it yourself."

Lu Wenjun thanked him and went into the kitchen. The tavern's kitchen was bright and open, and although the cooking utensils were old, they were not damaged. A frying pan still had the aroma of butter, and in the corner, a large vat had just been extinguished, with the bottom layer of soup gradually drying up.

Lu Wenjun glanced at it and immediately understood: "Your dish involves first frying the beef in oil until fragrant, then adding ingredients and stewing it in broth, right?"

Hui Se's expression softened slightly: "You do know how to cook."

"To make serving easier, most restaurants stew the beef in advance and keep it warm over low heat, then only need to do a little processing before serving. Why do you always start from scratch?"

Huise laughed when she heard this, and Caboni said for her, "People who are efficient like this approach. But if it's simmered for too long, the flavor of the meat will always be lost, and customers who can taste the difference won't be satisfied."

"Besides, my cooking utensils cook food quickly, so we don't need to waste that little bit of time."

Having gained a better understanding of the two men's personalities, Lü Wenjun smiled and said, "Then, please teach me how this dish is originally made."

·

~Aunt Hui Se's Stifado Recipes~

Choose a large piece of beef brisket, cut it into chunks, and sauté it with diced potatoes and diced onions in olive oil until fragrant.

Pour the pan-fried meat, vegetables, and oil into a large pot, add red wine, stock, water, and paprika, and simmer for about an hour.

Finally, add diced bell peppers and other side ingredients and simmer for ten minutes. Add plenty of salt, pepper, and herb powder to finish.

·

"I see..."

After hearing the recipe, Lü Wenjun felt more confident.

Although he had never cooked Greek food before, he could understand the recipe. Searing the beef brisket was to render the fat and prevent the beef from being too fatty and greasy; the wine, broth, paprika, etc., were essentially the Greek version of onion, ginger, and cooking wine, used to remove any fishy smell and enhance the aroma; salt and pepper were used to add flavor and, with the help of the heat of the pan, to increase the olfactory stimulation.

Ignoring the differences in seasoning, the way this dish is made is actually very similar to the "radish and beef brisket stew" from his hometown. He realized this, which is why he said that radish could be added.

However, adding just one ingredient isn't enough. At least five things need to be changed to suit the current taste. At the same time, attention needs to be paid to both the wording and the actions.

(Carberney was aware of the problem with the dish long ago, but Huther refused to change it, which shows how stubborn she was...)

A love for her own culture, adherence to traditional methods, and a commitment to painstaking and honest cooking – this is the style of Huise as a chef. She would likely be angry if the recipe were altered beyond recognition, and she would certainly not agree to any reduction in seasonings or ingredients.

Lü Wenjun wasn't unaware of the reasons behind this...

"This is going to be very challenging." Lü Wenjun tied on his apron. "Okay, let's begin!"

The beef brisket and vegetables had already been prepared. He swiftly chopped the vegetables into large, bold pieces, but didn't touch the beef. Instead, he put the whole piece of beef directly into the pot.

Huise immediately frowned: "You're making it difficult to cook properly!"

"You see, if you fry the whole thing with the fat side down, more oil will be rendered out..."

Lu Wenjun flipped the pot over, and the fat in the beef brisket shrank as it heated up, forming a large, beautiful, golden-brown, crispy crust through the Maillard reaction.

"The beef smells even better. If you're worried about it being too cooked, how about we cook it for another five minutes?"

Huise sniffed the fragrance and nodded to herself.

Vilsa picked up her fork: "I think it's ready to eat."

"This is stewed beef, buddy, not steak."

"We can't waste the butter!" Huther reminded her.

"As for the oil, I plan to add it later..."

The second improvement. According to the old method, the butter should be mixed with the spices before being added to the stew, but Lü Wenjun reserved it in a small dish for later use.

Next came the stewing process. Hui Se gestured wildly, insisting on the exact amount of each seasoning. Lü Wenjun readily complied, adding the seasonings to the pot one by one without arguing.

This beef stew was unpopular precisely because it was too heavily seasoned. Seeing that not a single ingredient had been reduced, Caboni already had a look of anticipation for failure.

"Next, it's time to add the radishes..."

Thirdly, add some side ingredients. Peel the radish, then remove the outer layer of flesh, keeping only the crispest and tender radish core in the center. Instead of cutting it directly, use a knife to "pry open" the radish core, creating an irregular shape.

Cabonet became interested: "Why use such a complicated cutting method?"

"Increasing the surface area makes it easier for the broth to come into contact with more, and the irregular shape makes it easier to pick up." Lü Wenjun put the radish into the pot. "The outer part that we didn't manage to pick up can be made into pickles. But we don't have much time this time, so let's eat it raw."

Following the old method, it only needed to cook for another hour (10 minutes with the help of the magic cooking tools) to be almost done. However, after cooking this time, the beef brisket still did not reach the previous tenderness.

Huise laughed and said, "I knew it wouldn't rot if I didn't cut it into pieces."

"Don't rush. We can spend a little more time before reworking it..."

Hui Se's expression softened after hearing this. She was an old-fashioned person who hated cutting corners and preferred to spend more time and add more ingredients; that was the style of a good chef in her mind.

Only then did Lü Wenjun begin slicing the beef brisket. By this time, the brisket was almost fully cooked, and a warm, fragrant aroma could be smelled. As the remaining broth settled, it gradually separated into layers, with the fat and seasonings rising to the top.

The fourth improvement: Skim off the oil from the top of the broth with a large spoon, leaving only a layer of beef broth in the pot. Separate a small amount of the previously rendered beef fat and add it to the frying pan along with the beef brisket, seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir-fry a second time. Then add it to the beef broth along with the radishes and vegetables and cook together.

"Then the cooking time should be fine... Next, we'll prepare the final ingredients."

Final revision. Pour the remaining broth and butter into a frying pan and heat over high heat until reduced to make a sauce. Half of the herb powder, which was originally supposed to be added in the last step, is now added to the dipping sauce.

Add the remaining chopped herbs to the beef brisket and remove from heat.

"Stifado, the southern wind of the ancient kingdom, please use it!"

"oh oh……"

It was still a large, generously portioned pot of stewed meat, but this time the presentation was completely different. The radishes at the bottom had absorbed the broth and revealed the color of the meat, while the large chunks of beef brisket showed enticing marbling. The bell peppers floating in the broth and the aroma of pepper and herbs rising with the steam stimulated the appetite on both visual and olfactory levels.

It's delicious. Even before you take a bite, you can immediately tell that this dish is absolutely delicious.

The three spectators, who were also judges, picked up their spoons to taste the food with different expectations... and then froze at the same time!

"Delicious!" Versa exclaimed. "The seasoning is rich, yet it retains the freshness of the beef. The meaty aroma is brought out by the wine and seasonings, and the 'shell' formed by the thick sauce tastes like fried food. How did it change so much?"

Cabone picked up a radish and admired it, saying, "It's because of the radish. The crisp sweetness of the radish balances the original thick flavor, and because it has absorbed so much juice, it tastes like stewed meat. Radishes like this could be sold separately without any problem."

With a spoon in her mouth, Hui Se wanted to find fault but couldn't bring herself to eat it.

Because the theme of the dishes is the same!

The original ingredients and seasonings remain unchanged, resulting in the authentic Stifado flavor. However, just as a dish can vary in intensity at different restaurants, Lü Wenjun's approach subtly expresses the culinary theme while highlighting the natural flavors of the ingredients. For most people, this makes the food taste even better.

But she was an experienced chef after all, and she would stubbornly insist, "This doesn't suit my taste!"

Lu Wenjun had been waiting for this question, and brought over a small dish: "If you feel the seasoning is insufficient, how about trying the dipping sauce?"

The small dish contained a dark brown sauce, a dipping sauce made with beef broth, spices, and butter, resembling the dipping sauce used in Sichuan hot pot. Huise dipped the beef in the sauce before eating, and her furrowed brow finally relaxed.

This grumpy female chef now looks like a friendly neighbor.