Chapter 256 - 115: Anniversary Feast · Happy New Year to Everyone!
While waiting for the fish to marinate, Chen Zhou adjusted the flame on the stove and shaved four wooden skewers—the fish was too big, and he was afraid a single skewer couldn't hold the fish.
In the typical restaurant method of grilling fish, the fish and side dishes are prepared separately.
The side dishes usually require ingredients like peppercorns, star anise, chili peppers, green onions, ginger, garlic, bean paste, and carrots for frying, which are then poured over the fish once it's grilled.
However, Chen Zhou didn't have those ingredients, nor did he plan to use up more of his precious garlic for side dishes.
High-end ingredients often only require the simplest cooking methods.
Wild-caught sea fish, even without the embellishment of condiments, wouldn't lack in flavor—Chen Zhou comforted himself with this thought.
...
The wood in the stove burned thoroughly, gradually reducing smoke, forming a bright orange-yellow layer.
Placing the seal oil to one side, he grabbed the skewered fish and held it over the fire, using a brush to gently apply oil onto the soy-marinated, yellow-brown fish.
The flames licked the scraped-off scales on the fish.
The fish, infused with salt and soy sauce, slowly cooked, releasing a pleasant aroma.
This wasn't Chen Zhou's first time grilling food; he had a precise grasp of the heat, focusing intently on the fish, observing the gradually "flowering" flesh and the gaping knife cuts.
...
Meanwhile, Little Boss found a piece of shrimp shell that Chen Zhou had discarded, clutching it in his mouth, cautiously observing his siblings. Seeing they didn't seem to notice, he tiptoed towards the bedroom, aiming to eat it all by himself.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Huihui had already set his sights on that shrimp shell and suddenly burst forward, extending his chubby paw to snatch away Little Boss's prize.
Meow!
With a childish protest, Little Boss hurried to his unreliable father to reclaim the shrimp shell.
However, his waist wasn't even as thick as Xiao Huihui's arm, how could he compete? He could only watch as Xiao Huihui stuffed the shrimp shell into his mouth, the crunching sound quickly vanishing.
Meow~
Frustrated, Little Boss reached out his paw to hold onto Xiao Huihui's foreleg, his head prodding towards Xiao Huihui's mouth.
Xiao Huihui completely ignored his "beloved girl's" feelings, staring with wide, round eyes, and set his sights on the shrimp shells that Little Boss Two and Little Boss Three had picked up, ready to snatch them, but was stopped by Ti Zi's intervention.
The frantic snatching among two large cats and three small cats made the kitchen lively, with Lai Fu not wanting to be outdone, he sneaked to the table where the fried shrimp was placed, lifting his big head, using his nose to nudge the covered plate, trying to flip it over and eat the delicacies inside.
Chen Zhou was grilling fish nearby; seeing this group of energetic creatures getting bolder, he quickly flicked Lai Fu on the head and rescued Xiao Huihui who was being bullied by Ti Zi, along with the three little guys who also received a scolding.
Following the principle of giving a sweet date after a smack, Chen Zhou reluctantly lifted the cover, grabbed a few shrimps, and distributed eight in total, according to: three for the big dog, one for the glutton, two for the pregnant, and two for the little guys.
A mere shrimp was hardly enough for Xiao Huihui, gobbling it up in less than five seconds, he still held up his furry head, intently watching Chen Zhou's oily hands, eyes full of longing.
Silently watching for a while and realizing his owner didn't get his hint, Xiao Huihui bravely jumped onto the table, tentatively reaching out his chubby paw to get at the shrimp on the plate.
Chen Zhou hadn't had his fill of shrimp and wanted to keep them for himself, feeling reluctant even after giving away eight.
Watching Xiao Huihui's increasingly excessive behavior, he simply watched coldly, waiting for him to make a mistake, and this allowance gave Xiao Huihui more courage. His paw stretched out further and further, not realizing this was a "fishing enforcement."
Just as he was about to reach into the plate, Chen Zhou gave him a hard slap, squashing the fat on his face.
Meow!
Whether from pain or shock, Xiao Huihui leaped off the table with extraordinary agility, darting to the boundary between the kitchen and the bedroom, squatting down and meowing aggrievedly, as if loudly complaining—
"How can you still guard your food like this?"
...
Knowing Xiao Huihui for more than a day or two, Chen Zhou understood he wasn't really hurt; this was just him putting on a show to "extort" for medical expenses.
The more attention given at such times, the worse it got, the more it was indulged, the more Xiao Huihui would make a fuss.
Just like children, when they play on their own and get bumped or hurt, it's fine, but the moment someone consoles them, their grievance multiplies tenfold, and they have to have a good cry.
Ignoring Xiao Huihui's dramatic reaction, Chen Zhou covered the fried shrimp and continued to grill his fish.
This fish had particularly thick flesh, making it not so easy to cook through even with the scales removed.
Meanwhile, the fragrant aroma from the big iron pot filled with abalone and scallops wafted out, accompanied by a fishy scent, the hard shells rolling in the water, knocking against the iron pot's inner wall with a thumping sound.
...
Enduring the cats and dogs' disturbances, Chen Zhou finally grilled two fish, full of anticipation to retrieve the shellfish, he realized the problem—
The shellfish floating on top had opened their mouths, with the meat inside invisible from the outside, but they still seemed clean.
The deeper he scooped, the more sand pebbles filled his spoon, and when the boiling water in the pot settled, peering through the narrow pot mouth,
Hey! How could this stuff be edible?
A circle of mountain-like sand piled around the circular bottom of the iron pot, and with a gentle stir, a thin layer of semi-transparent sand particles rose. Whether the shellfish inside were still edible was clear.
Sighing, after a brief thought, Chen Zhou figured out the problem.