Chapter 90
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Grand Chef Korea - Sorry.
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1.
The first thing to do was preheat the oven. I set it to 200 degrees for 10 minutes so the heat would rise quickly.
Next came making the marinade for the meat.
'This is probably where they got stuck.'
The core ingredient of agnolotti, the meat, required a precise blend of various spices. Grasping them by sense alone wouldn't be easy.
'Of course, that doesn't apply to me.'
I started with the basics: salt and pepper. Then I added smoked paprika powder and tomato powder on top.
To this, I mixed in a small amount of brown sauce and unrefined brown sugar to deepen the flavor. Regular sugar only provided sweetness, but unrefined sugar held a multitude of flavors within itself.
'Small differences create big changes.'
Finally, just a hint of peat whiskey—enough to leave only the smoky aroma—and the marinade was complete.
Now stirring was crucial. I had to ensure all the spices blended uniformly.
If any powder clumped, the flavor could become overwhelmingly intense.
After stirring slowly for about five minutes, the marinade began to take on a sticky texture. That was good enough; it was done.
'This alone would be delicious.'
I scooped a bit onto a spoon and tasted it.
A complex flavor impossible to describe in one word. Despite the array of spices, it was astonishingly harmonious. Above all, it was tasty. Extremely so.
'This is what's missing from mine.'
How did he think to marinate pork with all these in the seasoning? Just replicating his dish was already a valuable lesson.
I placed the pork shank on the cutting board. I trimmed excess fat with a knife and diced the meat into small chunks.
'I'd love to slow-roast it in the oven for maximum tenderness, but time is short.'
To shorten cooking time, I had no choice but to cut it small.
Now to coat the meat with the marinade. Wearing gloves, I massaged it thoroughly along the grain, ensuring it penetrated every crevice.
I transferred the marinated meat to a pot and covered it. Then I slid it into the preheated oven. Temperature: 200 degrees, time: 30 minutes.
'That finishes the meat.'
Next up: pasta dough.
I grabbed a large bowl and added strong flour. I pressed down with my finger to create a well in the center.
Into the well went egg yolks, extra virgin olive oil, and finally milk.
Like a volcanic crater, the flour gathered around the liquids. I slowly mixed them with a fork, stirring in one direction and gradually incorporating flour from the edges.
Once the texture grew too heavy for the fork, I used my hands to form it into a ball.
I shaped the dough into a round, then flattened the edges with my palms before folding it back into a ball.
Repeating this process made the dough smoother and smoother.
'Perfect.'
When poked with a finger, if the indent quickly sprang back, it was done. Moist yet not sticky. Ready.
I wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap, covered the bowl to block all air, and let the dough rest.
'About 30 minutes should do.'
All the time-consuming parts were finished. The kitchen was a mess from cooking, so I started cleaning up.
"Miss Kang Yerin. How's the cooking going?"
As I wiped down the counter, the three judges approached me.
"Yes. The meat for the filling is in the oven, and I just finished the pasta dough."
"Is this the marinade you used for the meat?"
"Yes."
"Mind if we taste it?"
The judges picked up small spoons from nearby. They scooped a bit and cautiously tasted it.
"The seasoning is well-balanced. It seems to have quite a variety of spices, but they harmonize without overpowering each other."
"Handling spices like this is a matter of talent, and Miss Yerin clearly has the knack."
"Thank you."
Chef Kang Taeyeon and Chef Han Seojin offered light praise. But Chef Moon Taeo, standing beside them, wore a stiff expression.
"Chef Moon Taeo? Is something wrong?"
"...No, nothing."
Moon Taeo shook his head belatedly. He glanced at the pasta dough nearby and spoke up.
"May I ask what you put in the pasta dough?"
I listed the ingredients I'd used in order.
"Why use only strong flour? You could have used all-purpose or a mix."
"To preserve the pasta's chewiness. With such bold filling flavors, if the pasta falls apart in the mouth, the balance would collapse."
"...Understood. Finish strong."
He nodded curtly and moved to the next contestant. The wide spacing between stations made it hard to see others' work.
'Focus on my dish.'
With time until the meat and dough were ready, I decided to make the barbecue sauce.
Like the meat marinade, I based it on peat whiskey, unrefined sugar, and paprika powder.
The dish already had plenty of spices. Adding new flavors could disrupt the overall balance.
What it needed now was a sauce that reinforced the existing direction while solidifying the core.
I added Worcestershire sauce and Italian-style ketchup. Their taste was subtly deeper than what we usually eat.
Finally, salt to adjust seasoning. Barbecue sauce complete. I poured it into a pot and set it over low heat to warm slowly.
No need to boil long—just until it thickened.
'Done.'
I left the finished sauce on the lowest heat to keep it warm without cooling.
Ding-
Right on cue, the oven chimed. I pulled out the meat and opened the lid. It was dry, no juices left at the bottom.
I immediately set a pan on the gas stove. Cranked the heat, added a touch of oil, and tossed in the oven-roasted meat to sear.
Sizzle-
Roasting first in the oven then finishing on the pan is called reverse searing. It preserves juices while crisping the exterior—an effective technique.
'Though here, it's mainly to trigger more Maillard reaction and maximize flavor.'
I let the cooked meat cool briefly, then ground it while warm. Grinding hot ensures fats and gelatin blend smoothly into a fine texture.
To the properly ground meat, I added Robiola cheese, peat whiskey, and Worcestershire for depth. A pinch of salt to finish.
Gloves on, I mixed by hand. Since it was finely ground, a light toss blended everything smoothly.
"Mmm."
Tasting the finished filling, it was incredibly satisfying. Maybe even better than Chef Moon Taeo's.
Now to finalize the pasta. I cut the rested dough and fed it through the pasta machine to roll it thin.
I dusted paprika powder on the sheet, covered it with another sheet, and ran it through again to fuse the layers thinly.
A subtle red hue shone through the thin dough.
I cut the dough into pieces and filled a piping bag with the prepared filling, swirling it out precisely.
Spacing was key.
Too close, and they'd touch, ruining the shape or bursting during sealing. I maintained perfect intervals, piping each one meticulously.
Once filled, I topped with another sheet. Pressed out air bubbles with my fingertips, then used the pasta cutter to seal and cut each one with a twist.
Small half-moon agnolotti lined up, complete.
'Now to wrap it up.'
But first, the butter sauce to accompany it.
A touch of water in a pan, heated until bubbling. Added smoked butter and stirred gently until it melted into the water.
Carefully controlling the heat to avoid burning, mix until done.
Water in a pot with salt, brought to a boil. Once rolling, I gently added the prepared agnolotti.
I watched closely, cooking for about four minutes. Drained them one by one with tongs, shook off excess water, and dropped them straight into the warm butter sauce.
A quick toss over heat created an emulsion. The pasta water and butter blended smoothly, coating the agnolotti thinly and silkily.
'Simple step, big flavor boost.'
That rich butter taste in Chef Moon Taeo's agnolotti came from this exact process.
I plated the finished agnolotti neatly. Drizzled remaining butter sauce gently, drew lines with barbecue sauce, and delicately topped with arugula leaves and petals.
"Done."
Ding-
I rang the bell in front. The tense silence filling the kitchen shattered.
"...Already?"
"Kang Yerin again."
Others' murmurs reached me. My annoyingly sharp hearing picked it up even now.
"Miss Kang Yerin. Bring your dish forward once complete."
"Yes."
At Chef Kang Taeyeon's request, I carried the plate to the judges' table. Set it down and stepped back.
"Miss Kang Yerin. On a scale of 100, what score would you give this agnolotti?"
He eyed me sharply. I thought for a moment before answering.
"About 90 points."
"What lacks the 10 points to make it 100? Where did you fall short?"
"Out of 50."
All three judges were stunned. Chef Han Seojin let out a hollow laugh.
"Incredible confidence. I'd warn any other contestant, but you've earned the right not to hear it."
"Confidence backed by results."
"Let's see how well you've replicated my dish."
They exchanged words and approached the table. Each scooped an agnolotti with flowers and ate.
Chew chew-
Chef Han Seojin's eyes widened. A smile played on Chef Kang Taeyeon's lips, while Chef Moon Taeo frowned as he chewed.
They chewed silently for a long time. Then, as if entranced, they naturally took another bite.
"Ah..."
Once the plate was empty, they snapped out of it. They stared blankly at the clean plate before setting down their spoons.
"...Thanks for the meal."
They exchanged glances, then Chef Kang Taeyeon spoke for the group.
"We need a moment to discuss among ourselves. Is that okay?"
"Yes, of course."
They returned to their seats and whispered. Their voices were too low to hear.
After a long discussion, Chef Han Seojin approached me.
"I don't even know what to say."
She hesitated, sighed deeply, and brushed back her hair. Meeting my eyes, she spoke.
"Miss Kang Yerin."
"Yes."
"Sorry. You're a candidate for elimination."