THE HANGED MAN

Chapter 11 Real Cooking Skills

Is it normal for everyone to die? Glad I'm alive? Lucky to be alive?

Klein shuddered violently, took two quick steps, and ran towards the door, trying to chase several police officers for protection.

But as soon as he touched the handle, his movements suddenly stopped.

"The police officer told the story in such a horrific way, so why didn't they protect me, an important witness or key clue?"

"Isn't this too negligent?"

"Testing or baiting?"

Various thoughts were fighting in Klein's mind, making him suspect that the police were still secretly "watching" him and observing his reaction.

Thinking of this, he felt a lot calmer and no longer panicked. He slowly opened the door and shouted to the top of the stairs with a deliberately trembling voice:

"You'll protect me, right?"

Bang, bang, bang, the police officers did not respond, and the rhythm of the leather shoes and the wooden stairs did not change.

"I know! You will do this!" Klein shouted again with a tone of pretending to believe, trying to act like a normal person in danger.

The footsteps gradually became weaker and disappeared on the ground floor of the apartment.

Klein snorted and sneered in his belly:

"Isn't this reaction too fake? Your acting skills are not up to par!"

He didn't chase her, turned back to the room, and closed the door.

In the next few hours, Klein fully demonstrated that he was restless, restless, restless, read Chinese words such as "I don't know", and refused to relax just because there was no one around.

This is called actor’s self-cultivation! He laughed at himself in his heart.

When the sun set in the west, the clouds on the horizon began to "burn", and the apartment residents went home one after another, Klein shifted his focus to other places.

"Melissa is about to get out of school..." He turned his attention to the stove, lifted the kettle in one breath, peeled off the coals, and took out the revolver.

Without pausing or delaying, he reached out to the back of the lower plank of the bunk bed, where there were a dozen staggered wooden bars for support.

After sandwiching the revolver between a wooden bar and a wooden board, Klein straightened up and waited uneasily, fearing that the police would suddenly open the door and rush into the room with firearms in hand.

If it were a normal steam world, he would have made sure that no one would see him when he did what he just did. However, there is extraordinary power here, extraordinary power that he has verified himself.After waiting for a few minutes, there was no movement at the door, except for the conversation between the two tenants, who had made an appointment to go to the "Wild Heart" bar on Iron Cross Street, from far to near, and then from near to far.

"Phew." Klein breathed out, his heart resting in his chest.

Just waiting for Melissa to come back and make tender peas and lamb stew!

As soon as this thought occurred, Klein's mouth seemed to be filled with the aroma of gravy, and he also remembered how Melissa made tender peas and lamb stew.

She first boiled water to boil the meat, then added onions, salt, a little pepper and water to stew it directly. At a certain time, she added peas and potatoes and simmered it for forty or fifty minutes.

"It's such a simple and crude method... It relies solely on the deliciousness of the meat itself!" Klein couldn't help but shake his head.

But there is no way around it. Common people don’t have a variety of seasonings and cooking techniques. They can only pursue simplicity, practicality and economy. Anyway, as long as the meat is not burnt or spoiled, you can only eat it twice a week. Even for a person, no matter what happens, it is good.

Klein is not a good cook, and he mainly eats outside every day. However, the accumulation of cooking three or four times a week still gives him a passing standard, and he feels that he cannot live up to that pound of lamb."Wait until Melissa comes back to cook it. It will be after 7:30, and she will starve... It's time to show her real cooking skills!" Klein made an excuse for himself, and let her know first. The fire was rekindled, and I went to the public bathroom to get water and wash the lamb. Then I took out a cutting board and kitchen knife and chopped it into small pieces.

As for how to explain his sudden cooking skills, he decided to blame Welch McGovern. This classmate not only hired a chef who was good at Jianhai's special flavors, but also often thought about his own delicious food and invited others to taste it.

Well, a dead man won’t contradict me!

But, hiss, this is a world with extraordinary people, and the dead may not be able to speak... Thinking of this, Klein felt a little guilty inexplicably.

He put aside the messy thoughts, put the pieces of meat into the soup bowl, then took out the seasoning box, shook a spoonful and a half of yellowed coarse salt into it, and also treasured it from a special small bottle. I took some black peppercorns, mixed them with the lamb meat and salt, and marinated it for a while.

Putting the stew pot on the stove and waiting for it to heat up, Klein dug out the remaining carrots from yesterday and the onions he bought today, and cut them into many pieces.

After making preparations, he took out a small jar from the cupboard. After opening it, there was not much lard left in it.

Klein took out a spoonful and put it into the pot, frying it until it melted. Then he added carrots and onions and stir-fried for a while.

As the aroma began to spread, Klein poured all the lamb in and carefully fried it for a while.

During this process, I should have ordered some cooking wine, or even if it was unfavorable, I would have to use wine instead. However, the Moretti family did not have these luxury things, and Benson could only drink one beer a week. Klein had to make do with the spartan, pour some boiling water, and make whatever he wanted. alley.

After stewing for about twenty minutes, he opened the lid, put in the tender peas and cut potatoes, and added a cup of hot water and two spoons of salt.

Closing the lid and turning down the heat, Klein exhaled with satisfaction and waited for his sister to come home.

As time passed, the aroma in the room became stronger and stronger, with the temptation of meat, the mellowness of potatoes, and the "refreshingness" of onions.

The smell gradually mixed. Klein swallowed from time to time, opened the lid of his pocket watch, and looked at the minute hand.

More than forty minutes later, not brisk but orderly footsteps approached, the key was inserted, the handle was turned, and the door opened.

"It smells so good..." Melissa whispered doubtfully before she came in.

She took her bag and stepped in, her eyes scanning the stove.

"Did you do it?" Melissa's movement of taking off her gauze hat paused in mid-air, and she looked at Klein with horror in her eyes.

She sniffed and inhaled more of the aroma, her eyes quickly softened, and she seemed to have found some confidence.

"Did you do it?" she asked again in confusion.

"Are you afraid that I will waste the lamb?" Klein asked with a smile, and without waiting for an answer, he said to himself: "Don't worry, I asked Welch specifically how to make this dish. You know, he has a good chef."

"First time?" Melissa frowned unconsciously, but was smoothed over by the aroma.

"It seems that I have a lot of talent." Klein laughed, "It's almost ready. Put the book and hat away, go to the bathroom to wash your hands, and then wait to taste it. I'm very confident."

Listening to her brother's methodical arrangements and looking at his gentle and calm smile, Melissa was stunned at the door, dumbfounded and unresponsive.

"Would you like the stew to be a little more rotten?" Klein urged with a smile.

"Ah, okay, okay!" Melissa came back to her senses, holding a bag in one hand and a hat in the other, and rushed into the room quickly.

When he opened the lid of the stew pot, mist suddenly appeared in front of Klein's eyes. Two loaves of rye bread had already been placed on the sides of the lamb and tender peas, allowing them to absorb the aroma and heat and become soft.

By the time Melissa packed up her things, washed her hands and face, and returned, a plate of braised lamb with tender peas garnished with potatoes, carrots, and onions had been placed on the desk, and two pieces of black bread stained with some gravy were placed on their respective plates. inside.

"Here, have a taste." Klein pointed to the wooden fork and spoon placed next to the plate.

Melissa was still a little confused, so she didn't refuse. She picked up the fork, forked a piece of potato, brought it to her mouth, and took a bite.

The glutinous color of the potatoes and the rich aroma of the gravy filled the air at the same time, causing her saliva to secrete like crazy. She finished the piece of potato and swallowed it in a few seconds.

"Taste the meat." Klein pointed at the plate with his chin.

He had tasted it just now and felt that it was only at a passing level, but it was enough for a little girl who had never seen it on the market and could only eat meat occasionally!

Melissa's eyes were filled with anticipation, and she carefully forked a piece of lamb.

It is so stewed that it feels like it is about to melt as soon as you take it into your mouth. The real meat flavor explodes and the wonderful juice flows across the mouth, filling your mouth.

It was an unprecedented beautiful feeling, and Melissa couldn't stop at all.

By the time she came to her senses, she had already eaten several pieces of lamb.

"I, I, Klein, this is prepared for you..." Melissa's face turned red and she stammered.

"I've eaten it secretly a long time ago. This is the privilege of being a chef." Klein smiled and comforted his sister. At the same time, he also picked up a fork and spoon, sometimes eating a piece of meat, sometimes stuffing a mouthful of peas, sometimes putting down the tableware and breaking off a piece of black meat. Eat bread dipped in juice.

Melissa relaxed, affected by Klein's normal behavior, and immersed herself in the delicious food again.

"It's so delicious. I can't tell you're making it for the first time." Melissa looked at the empty plate with no juice left on it and praised it sincerely.

"Compared with Welch's chefs, they are still far behind. When I get rich, I will take you and Benson to restaurants outside to eat better!" Klein said so that he started to feel a little longing for it.

"Your interview will... hiccup..." Before Melissa could finish her words, she suddenly made an uncontrollable sound of satisfaction.

She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, looking embarrassed.

It’s all because the lamb stewed with tender peas just now was so delicious!

Klein chuckled secretly and decided not to laugh at his sister. He pointed at the plate and said:

"This is your mission."

"Okay!" Melissa stood up impatiently, took the basin, and rushed out the door.

When she came back from cleaning, she opened the cupboard and checked the spice box and other items out of habit.

"Did you use it just now?" Melissa blurted out in surprise, turning to look at Klein, holding a black pepper bottle and a lard can in her hand.

Klein spread his hands and smiled:

"A little, that's the price of delicious food."

Melissa's eyes flickered, her expression changed a few times, and finally she pursed her lips and said:

"I'll be the one doing the cooking from now on."

"Well... you have to hurry up and prepare for the interview, and you have to think about work."