A Single Mother's Farm of the Gods-Chapter 440: Roast Whole Duck and Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Since the Head Chef will finalize and discuss the purchase later, Elaina’s focus is now on the cooking process that she will be doing. After asking for permission about the paprika and chili powder, Elaina asked for permission to use wine in her cooking by using a wine she brought with her. The Head Chef agreed and after testing the wine and finding out it was safe, he also agreed. Like the previous items she brought, the Head Chef also wanted a supply but unlike the condiments, Elaina still couldn’t mass produce the wine and so the Head Chef was left in dismay.

Preparing the pot and the frying pans, Elaina also checked the ingredients that were necessary to be used for various dishes. She immediately recognized the vegetables present in the ingredients alley where all the ingredients are free to pick for all the chefs cooking. From meat to fish, from vegetables to fruits, all are present there. And among them are the crops she has supplied to the castle.

She quickly picked the ingredients she needed without haste. After all, she is not cooking to finish fast, she needs to cook to impress and let the other people taste her cooking.

As for what she was going to cook, she quickly grabbed a whole duck, ready to cook and ready for stuffing. Since nobles like Whole Duck, she will indeed use this recipe. She also grabs a variety of vegetables that she will use to create the chicken and vegetable soup. As for the other dishes, Elaina will cook them once she is done with the first two. She can’t cook more than two dishes at once and without anyone helping her, she needed more management than usual.

First, she started cleaning the whole duck through and through. Although she trusted the castle had already made sure they were clean, Elaina was meticulous about it and made sure that the duck was clean and free from any foreign items that the castle staff didn’t notice. Thankfully, she didn’t find anything weird and grabbed a wine that she prepared herself. It was the prototype wine that both Princess Margaux and Princess Tabatha liked when they tasted it back then and the wine was tested and approved by the Head Chef.

Putting the duck on a small basin, she started giving the duck a wine bath. She made sure the duck could be soaked but she also made sure she wouldn’t waste too much wine in the process. She didn’t pour everything and only made enough for the duck. Pouring the wine into the whole duck, the aroma of the wine wafted around the kitchen. It was faint but it was a pleasant aroma and even though the people in the kitchen did not drink it, they could already taste it in the air. They can only lament that they couldn’t personally drink it.

Elaina noticed everyone’s reactions but continued doing what she was doing. Putting on the gloves, she started to rub the wine on every nook and cranny of the duck, that way, the wine taste will seep through the duck, and the flavor is properly distributed. It’s sad that she couldn’t marinate it further as that would fully enhance the flavor of the duck and it would also tenderize the meat once cooked but she decided it was still fine without doing so.

Once she covered the whole duck in wine, she left it soaking for a bit and prepared the spices, salt, pepper, and of course, the paprika for the added tang flavor. Taking it out of the small basin, the salt, pepper, and paprika were mixed in a small bowl and started rubbing into the duck itself. Elaina smiled seeing that the duck was looking good.

With the duck already covered with spices, the next thing was to preheat the duck inside the oven and by placing it in the roasting pan, Elaina started to prepare the other dish which is the Chicken and Vegetable Soup.

Elaina decided to use this recipe instead of the other dishes that she bought from Douglas and Marigold because according to Princess Tabatha, their mother is currently feeling under the weather for quite some time and would prefer to have soup instead of fully solid food. Since Elaina will be cooking solid food, Princess Tabatha requested that she also cook some soup dishes for her Mother, which Elaina gladly took.

Elaina cut the chicken into medium pieces, similar to the size of a chicken used to cook fried chicken. Next, Elaina soaked them in soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper with sliced onion and garlic for added flavor and gently rubbed the chicken pieces to marinate them. She made sure to knead it so well that the flavor should sink deep into the flesh. Once the chicken was ready, she covered it in a little bit of flour, not enough to become a fried chicken, but enough to make it have a crispy texture for cooking later. For the final touch to the chicken, she added olive oil to cook it by searing it with a cooking torch.

Using the cooking torch that will allow her to sear the chicken moderately, Elaina sears the chicken for a bit, ensuring that they are cooked slightly enough to turn its color to a bit of light golden thanks to the olive oil. As for why she torched it, she wanted to ensure the flavor of the chicken would blend into the soup a lot.

With the chicken ready, Elaina started peeling and chopping the vegetables she needed. Carrots, potatoes, celery, corn, and string beans. Although it is chicken and vegetable soup, she couldn’t overflow the soup with too many vegetables as that would become a hotpot already and it doesn’t work that way compared to the regular dish.

She made quick preparations for the items so that it didn’t take too long for them to be ready. With everything good to go, Elaina shifts her focus again to the previous dish. It was almost time to remove it from the oven and before it was ready, Elaina melted butter on the frying pan for a bit and ready the brush as she would use the butter to add finishing touches to the duck before it was ready for serving.

"Ding!"

The oven rings signifying that the preheat is over. Elaina grinned and opened the oven, causing the aroma of the chicken that was not yet fully done cooking to waft over the room. Thanks to the wine, the smell was so good that even the other chefs were salivating from the smell alone.

Readying the brush and the melted butter, she started to brush the butter to the chicken’s surface, allowing it to further melt into the hot chicken and add further aroma to the chicken. She made sure to fully brush the melted butter on the chicken before she put it back in the oven. Now, all Elaina needed to do was wait for it.

With the Roast Whole Duck out of the way, Elaina continues with the chicken and vegetable soup. Since Elaina practically cooked the chicken, the chicken received a buff already and it was Health Regeneration. It was just a random roll but having it was something she didn’t expect. This might not fully cure any diseases from the one consuming, but they will get healthier by just eating it. Was it luck or anything? She couldn’t possibly know.

Preparing the big pot, Elaina heated the pot added butter to the pot, and let it melt there, making sure that the melted butter did not burn completely inside the pot. Once the butter had melted, Elaina poured in the vegetables and let them soak in the butter. This will serve as a little flavor to the vegetables later once the broth is added and helps soften the vegetables as well.

After a few minutes, she added Worcestershire sauce which would help add some savory and slightly sweet taste to the broth later. She also added a few seasonings as well to complete the broth. While the soup was boiling, Elaina diced the chicken into thinly sliced pieces before she added it to the broth a few minutes after it was boiling and let it simmer for a few more minutes.

"DING!"

As the chicken and vegetable soup was simmering, the Roasted duck was ready and Elaina took it out from the oven, allowing the aroma of a mouthwatering duck to waft all over the room. Even Douglas who should be used to the smell of the duck was surprised by it and gave Elaina a thumbs-up of approval.

Elaina glanced at the Roast Duck and checked its buff.

[Energy Regeneration]

Nodding in satisfaction, Elaina called for the Head Chef.

"The Roast Duck is ready, Head Chef!"

The Head Chef who was still salivating immediately returned to his professionalism and nodded as he ready the food to be sent to the banquet. There, it will be preserved to keep it heated until the time of the banquet begins.

Before the Head Chef could leave, Elaina’s second dish was also finished. And to her surprise, the second buff for the soup also appeared and it seems she got lucky.

[Reinvigoration]

It energizes the body and enhances the immune system which will allow it to help cure various illnesses in the process. Elaina is not sure if she got lucky or not with how she got it but since it is done...

"The Chicken and Vegetable Soup is also ready!"

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