Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

At the front of the classroom, Russell Archer glanced at his assistant, who had finished writing on the board, and got straight to the point.

"Today’s dish is Foie Gras Sauté."

"It’s a traditional classic of French cuisine."

"The full recipe is written on the board. Anyone unfamiliar with the dish may come forward and review it."

"You have two hours."

"Once you’re finished, bring your dish to the judging table."

After a brief pause, Archer added, "You may submit your dish for evaluation more than once, but wasting ingredients is strictly prohibited."

"Now, begin cooking!"

The moment he gave the order, the classroom burst into activity.

Most of the students headed straight for the ingredient station, selecting what they needed and preparing their equipment with practiced ease.

After three years in Totsuki’s Middle School Division, nearly all of them had already learned how to make pan-seared foie gras.

They had no need to check the recipe on the board.

Haruto was the sole exception.

With one hand resting beneath his chin, he carefully studied the instructions.

’Clean and drain the foie gras, then season with black pepper and sea salt. Leave to marinate for ten minutes...’

’Heat a frying pan and melt the butter. Sear both sides of the foie gras over medium heat until golden brown...’

’Slice the apple, dust it lightly with flour, and pan-fry until crisp and golden...’

’For the sauce, combine red wine, honey, and lemon juice, then reduce until thickened...’

There was no helping it.

Most of Haruto’s training had focused on Asian cuisine and desserts.

His experience with French cooking was mostly limited to eating it. He had never tasted this particular dish before, much less prepared it himself.

...

Beside him, Sakaki Ryoko glanced at Haruto as he studied the recipe with complete concentration, unsure what to make of the situation.

Anyone capable of passing Totsuki’s transfer examination should have at least some familiarity with a wide range of international cuisines, even if they were not an all-rounder.

She had not expected Haruto to be unfamiliar with something as fundamental as pan-seared foie gras.

After thinking about it, though, it did make a certain amount of sense.

There was nothing particularly strange about him having limited experience with French cooking.

A few minutes later, Haruto looked away from the board and returned to their station.

Ryoko had already gathered everything they needed.

"Thanks, Sakaki-san. Let’s get started."

Haruto glanced over the ingredients before calmly dividing the work.

"I’ll handle the foie gras and the apples. Leave the heat control to me."

"Could you prepare the sauce and the other garnishes?"

Ryoko paused.

Under the circumstances, the most sensible choice would have been for her to handle the foie gras, since it was the most important part of the dish.

Yet when she met Haruto’s calm, confident gaze, she found herself nodding before she could reconsider.

"All right."

Once she had agreed, Ryoko said nothing more, and the two of them began working.

Haruto picked up the foie gras.

It was fresh and pale pink, with a texture as smooth and delicate as soft cream.

The slightest careless pressure could make it crumble.

That tenderness was exactly what made pan-seared foie gras so difficult.

If it stayed in the pan for too little time, the center would retain an unpleasant raw flavor.

Leave it for too long, however, and too much fat would render out, leaving the foie gras dry and robbing it of its rich, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Precise heat control was everything.

Despite that, Haruto showed no trace of nervousness.

...

He began by cutting the foie gras into slices exactly eight millimeters thick.

Then he carefully placed them on absorbent paper and pressed lightly to remove the excess moisture before seasoning both sides evenly with black pepper and sea salt.

While the foie gras rested, Haruto picked up a fresh apple and peeled, cored, and sliced it in one seamless series of movements.

Ryoko was preparing the sauce beside him, but she caught sight of his technique from the corner of her eye and gave a slight nod.

At the very least, his ingredient preparation was flawless.

Ten minutes later, the foie gras had finished seasoning.

Haruto placed a frying pan over the heat and added an appropriate amount of butter.

It quickly melted, releasing a rich, creamy aroma.

Listening closely to the gentle sizzle, Haruto focused on the temperature inside the pan.

The moment the butter turned faintly golden and began giving off a nutty fragrance, he swiftly laid in a slice of foie gras.

"Ssshhh—"

The instant it touched the hot butter, the surface seared and tightened, locking the fat and juices inside.

Haruto waited until the lower edges turned a beautiful golden brown and the aroma deepened.

Then, with a smooth turn of his wrist, he flipped the foie gras and seared the other side.

The heat of the flame, the fragrance of the butter, and the richness of the foie gras blended into an irresistible harmony.

Ryoko found herself staring for a moment.

Judging from the color of the surface alone, Haruto’s control over the heat was clearly better than hers.

She lowered her gaze and stopped allowing herself to be distracted, focusing completely on the sauce.

The full-bodied red wine, gentle sweetness of honey, and bright acidity of lemon juice slowly reduced into a glossy crimson sauce with a rich aroma.

...

Before long, Haruto removed the foie gras from the pan and placed it on a plate.

The perfectly seared slice rested there with its edges curling slightly, its surface a tempting golden brown.

Beneath the crust, a hint of the soft pink center remained visible.

It looked delicious enough to make anyone hungry on sight.

Haruto then added the prepared apple slices to the pan.

Their light coating of flour crisped and turned golden almost immediately, releasing a fresh, sweet aroma.

At the same time, Ryoko finished reducing the sauce.

She had also fried the sliced carrots and potatoes until golden.

The two arranged the garnishes neatly on the plate.

Then Ryoko lifted the saucepan and tilted her wrist, allowing the thick, glossy red sauce to flow in a controlled stream.

She drizzled it first across the crisp apple slices, then around the edges of the foie gras.

The fragrance of the sauce mingled with the richness of the foie gras and the gentle sweetness of the apple, making Haruto’s eyes brighten.

Their traditional pan-seared foie gras was complete.

The foie gras was still slightly too hot, however, and had not yet reached the ideal temperature for serving.

Rather than submit it immediately, Haruto and Ryoko waited.

During that interval, Haruto seared two more slices of foie gras. They still had extra garnishes and sauce, so there was no reason not to prepare additional portions.

By the time the other two plates were finished, the first serving had reached the perfect temperature.

Haruto carried it to the judging table.

"Instructor Archer, please give it a try."

Archer looked up at Haruto, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

Then his gaze fell on the dish.

His eyes immediately sharpened with interest, and he gave a slight nod.

"The foie gras has been seared remarkably well."

Even so, appearance alone could only reveal so much.

The final verdict would depend on how it tasted!

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