Putting Aside Nationalistic Bias, It’s Really Delicious

23 – A Bone Soup Made by Thoroughly Boiling the Bones with Pickled Radish (1)

Seeing everyone enjoying their meal with sparkling eyes made me feel good.

‘It reminds me of the old days.’

There was a time when I had also prepared freshly hunted bull meat for the knights.

After hunting the monster, they had experimented on how to process it in a way that would minimize the loss rate.

They had deboned the monster’s meat with the knights who showed interest in it and ate it together like this.

‘It’s one of the few good memories.’

Isn’t that the case with military life?

It seems terrible when it’s happening, but once it’s over, it becomes a fond memory.

That’s exactly what was happening now.

Thanks to that, they had learned how to debone and hunt the monster, so it wasn’t all bad.

“It’s delicious.”

They might not know much else, but the meat is tender and tasty.

The charcoal grilling adds a nice smoky flavor to it.

It felt just like eating outside.

It had the taste that could be enjoyed when visiting a vacation home with friends.

“Maybe it’s because it’s not in heat that the meat seems a bit softer.”

The monster they hunted was definitely a female.

They didn’t know why a female not in heat would come all the way to the village, but, well.

As long as it’s tasty, that’s enough, right?

As soon as the blood drained, they picked up a piece of meat with their chopsticks.

Perhaps the marbling of the fat had created a fantastic harmony, but it was even more tender.

That’s why it has to be killed before it gets angry.

The balance between fat and lean meat is fantastic.

The knights were eating it without any thoughts.

The guys who said they would eat the tough muscles in a spirit of training were now devouring it.

“Wow!”

“It’s tasty! So delicious!”

“It’s tender. The harmony of fat and lean meat is… ugh!”

“I’d die happy with this taste in my mouth.”

By now, they were truly enjoying the flavor.

There’s been a saying since ancient times.

The best thing you can give someone out of goodwill is pork.

Anyone who gives away beef for free must have something up their sleeve.

It was that delicious.

It was clear that someone who would give away such tasty meat would go after something much bigger.

“Ahem, Sir Lucas.”

Lowering his voice, Lancelot, who had been watching the other knights, asked me.

“Do we not have ssamjang today? Eating it with just salt and sesame oil somehow feels lacking.”

“Ssamjang, you say?”

“Yes. I remember it being really delicious when I dipped the pork belly in it. And when I had it with the mUKtugi earlier. I think it would be delicious with this bullfighting meat too…”

He seemed at a loss, like a child dying to pee.

This person doesn’t know how to eat beef properly.

“The way to eat beef is to appreciate the natural taste of the meat. Ssamjang has a strong taste, so it’s not included in the bullfighting omakase menu.”

Perhaps it’s understandable if the cut is fatty or cheap.

But eating ribeye, tenderloin, top blade, sirloin, finger meat, flank steak, and hanger steak with ssamjang?

That’s blasphemy.

“That’s right, commander Lancelot. Dipping it in strong sauces is no different from relying on equipment. In order to savor the true taste of bullfighting meat, strong sauces are a taboo! You, who always emphasize that personal skills are most important for a knight and that equipment isn’t as important, wouldn’t rely on the taste of the sauce now, would you?”

Henry chimed in enthusiastically, following my explanation.

Having already tried ssamjang once, his words carried even more credibility.

And then, he took another bite of meat.

“I, I was just asking. Relying on the taste of the sauce! I was just… Hmmm.”

With a lingering look of regret, Lancelot backed away and took a bite of the meat.

Together with the knights, we enjoyed the bullfighting meat while watching it sizzle on the stone grill.

Crackle!

Sizzle!

The oil from the meat flowed onto the stone grill, causing the charcoal fire to flare up with a sizzle.

“It’s a fire show in between.”

“Wow, they say there’s visual enjoyment in Lucas’s cooking, and it’s really true!”

Henry, who still had the boyish look about him, gazed at the burning fire with bright eyes.

He still enjoyed playing with fire.

I lightly tapped the stone grill.

The falling grease caused an even larger fire to erupt.

“Woah!”

Startled, Henry looked at me.

“Lu, Lucas, I, I was surprised!”

“But wasn’t it fun?”

“Well, it was, but…”

“The visual experience is important when eating, Henry.”

In 21st-century Korea, there were many places that did well in business because of that visual experience.

Places that became popular through word of mouth on platforms like Mukbang (food broadcasts).

Thanks to the burst of fire, the edges of the meat were perfectly seared.

“Please, enjoy. There’s not much left.”

The knights didn’t stop eating until all of the remaining meat was gone.

Their appetite was truly impressive.

Are all knights like this?

***

After finishing the victory celebration meat party, the soldiers cleared their places spotlessly.

There was nothing left for me to touch.

“We’ll do the dishes!”

“Please rest, Sir Knight!”

“Manager, just keep an eye on us to see if we’re working well!”

After helping clean up until the very end, Lancelot and Henry led the soldiers back to the castle.

In Henry’s hand, there were some rice balls and the remaining charcoal-grilled omakase.

It was a heartfelt gesture to bring a gift for the misunderstood young master.

The 20 soldiers who followed him hadn’t eaten either, so he would take care of them?

“Can we look forward to the food tomorrow? When my father comes, I want to visit the restaurant together.”

Henry seemed to be deeply impressed by today’s experience and declared he would come again tomorrow.

We don’t stop incoming guests and hold onto the ankles of leaving guests in our restaurant.

Anytime.

But you have to pay for it.

However, speaking of which.

“Why aren’t you four going back to the castle and staying here?”

“We’re here to help!”

“How could we just leave after getting a free meal?”

“The unit commander said he would give us the night off from training, so we are here to help Sir Lucas!”

“Please give us any orders!”

Haimer and the three knights shouted vigorously.

Somehow.

-I ate well. Let me know if you need anything. Those friends will help you out.

Lancelot said something like this.

“What about Lancelot, the unit commander?”

“Since the commander is in charge of escorting the lord and his family, he went back to the castle.”

It’s not just him who wants to suck the honey, is it?

Somehow, the more time I spent with Lancelot, the more I felt like I was strangely being sucked into his world like a honey pot.

In the novel, he was clearly a cool knight.

“Hmm… escorting the lord is an important job.”

“So, what should we do?”

I looked at them as they asked Heimer’s question.

They may not have had many years of experience, but they were still knights.

“Have you all had a chance to experience guarding duty?”

They nodded their heads as if it was a given.

“Yes, we have. But why…?”

“Oh, I have something to do all night tonight.”

I pointed to the bones and tail filled with bruises.

I’ll be boiling those throughout the night.

“I’ll teach you the method step by step, so don’t worry too much.”

I almost had to pull an all-nighter alone, but it’s rewarding to be fed.

***

Water filled with bones was boiling bubbling in a large pot on the Flare Range stove.

“Sir Lucas, what is this?”

Heimer asked, looking at the boiling bones that had had the blood drained from them.

“This? It’s a bullfighting bone dish requested by the lord.”

“Oh, this is that…”

Heimer swallowed his saliva.

Bullfighting bones were said to be good for a man’s stamina which made it one of the most desired ingredients by everyone.

In fact, it was also the most expensive part that came from a bullfighter’s body.

Wouldn’t it be the way of the world to make things expensive if they were good for stamina?

It’s the same here.

Even if it’s hard to find the ingredients?

It really becomes expensive enough to be worth calling.

‘I don’t plan on selling it to my lord at such a high price.’

I should take a moderate amount.

Including the feast cost today, moderately.

“You’ll boil the beef bone with the blood removed.”

“How long should I boil it for?”

“First, boil it for about 30 minutes to get rid of any foul smell and impurities.”

“What should I do after boiling it for 30 minutes?”

“Discard the water and boil it again. Once boiling, you’ll strain it into a large container to cool. Repeat this process about three times.”

Haimer asked me.

“Does it mean that I have to be on duty for…”

“It will take about 3 hours to boil each time. I contemplated doing it tomorrow, but I have to run my business then.”

“Ah.”

Haimer soon nodded in agreement with a convincing expression.

“It’s a cooking method I’ve never seen before. Boiling beef bone. Isn’t it usually grilled to bring out the flavor and then used in sauce? Or you can grill the beef bone directly with butter and eat it.”

“That’s not a bad method either.”

“What is the name of this dish?”

Haimer, who was sniffing the bubbling bone smell, asked.

“It’s Sagol soup.”

The dishes that would be served to the lord were Sagol soup, which was made by boiling bones, and braised oxtail.

There’s always a menu that my parents used to make whenever they left for a trip together or had to be away from home for a long time due to work.

That’s the Sagol soup.

It’s made by boiling the bone until it’s tender, producing a rich, white, and milky broth.

The broth contains floating bone marrow, meat, and fat.

Occasionally, when I find a good bone, I’d buy a housing lottery or a lotto ticket that day – It’s that kind of magical soup that multiplies infinitely even after boiling and boiling.

It was the dish I planned to make for the Lord tomorrow.

The key to a good bone soup lies not only in how well the beef bone is boiled, but also in how delicious the kimchi and pickled radish are.

The stark contrast between the white soup, white rice, and the red seasoning of the kimchi and pickled radish.

Anyone who knows the moment when the sour and spicy taste of well-ripened pickled radish blends with the deep taste of bone soup will never deny it.

The real protagonists of bone soup are pickled radish and kimchi.

I had prepared kimchi and pickled radishes last year, so it should be fine.

They are well ripened, and I can guarantee the taste.

“Tomorrow morning, if there are any chives in the field, I will bring them and make chive salad – that should be enough.”

After all, chives are good for stamina, too.

*Clears throat*

Anyway, with the time-consuming bone soup and tail pork, Ja-jak’s desired health and stamina should be well taken care of.

It’s just that the cook will suffer as a result.

After confirming that enough dirty residue had risen, I discarded all the water in the pot.

*Sighs*

Then, while washing the bones under running water, I removed the fat attached to the bones one by one.

After thoroughly washing the bones and removing the fat, I filled the pot with water again.

“Sir Heimer, may I ask you for a favor?”

“Of course.”

“When the water comes to a rolling boil, lower the flame to medium and skim off the impurities and oil that are floating. Wake me up after 3 hours.”

“Oh, is that all?”

“Yes. And please do not eat the boiling soup. If it’s not boiled enough, it’s almost like tasteless water.”

“Understood!”

When I left the kitchen, the sun was already setting in the west.

“Ugh, why am I so tired even on a day off?”

It feels busier than a workday.

Busy at the Knight’s restaurant.

“Will I be able to handle it?”

All I have to do is to watch and wake up if there’s any mistake. I won’t mess it up.

“Ugh! Let’s rest for a while.”

Stretching, I headed to my house five minutes away from the restaurant.

I just need to rest for a bit.

Just a little.