Tensei Shite Inaka de Slowlife wo Okuritai

Chapter 23 Hamburg steak and Mina

Tap tap, a cheerful sound rang out through the mansion kitchen.

Bartholo was chopping finely the freshly bought onions with experienced movements.

Then, the finely chopped onions were fried in a pan until they became semi-transparent.

For me, I was rhythmically pounding meat with the ratio of beef and pork of 7:3 with two knives.

“Is it really alright to pound the meat like that?”

Maybe having finished frying the onions, Bartholo took a peek at the minced meat.

“It’s alright.”

“Is that so?”

I am now making hamburg steak. This dish takes a little effort, but it’s soft and easy to eat. It’s popular from children to adults, and even elderly people with low jaw strength can have it.

Hamburg steak is all-purpose. Really amazing.

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Once the minced meat is complete and the fried onions have cooled, next is mixing them together with eggs.

Before that, before the fried onions cool, ice made using ice magic is thrown in the bowl.

When mixing, the hands should be cooled with water.

This is so that the fat won’t melt from the hands’ temperature, making the meat dry.

After I kneaded it until it was sticky, I did the legendary technique that could be said to be the image of everyone making hamburg steak.

The kneaded ingredients are juggled back and forth between my hands, about ten times. This is the technique of mothers. With this, the air is gone from the hamburg and does not rip when grilling.

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After I marry, I want my wife to do it in the kitchen with an apron on her.

And then I want to watch that.

“Oi kiddo, your face is slovenly.”

“Hah!”

Oops, oh no, no. I’m cooking now. I hurried and made my expression normal again.

To be honest, when I used this technique in home economics class in high class, I ended up bumping into my friend standing next to me.

Back then, the ingredients stuck to the apron, I can still clearly remember. Right, it was like pu…… no, nothing. Please forget about it. Anyhow, I’m saying that you can’t get careless.

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With the oiled and heated frying pan, one side is grilled. While grilling, the middle part is lightly pressed. Hamburg steak inflates overall while grilling. The middle part doesn’t get much heat, so you have to press the middle to let the heat get to it equally. By the way, grilling should be done in medium-strength flames. Weak flames won’t have the heat getting through, while strong flames will melt the surface.

Once one side is done, it’s flipped and the lid is placed on, cooking in a sealed area. It’s done once it’s cooked inside too.

“Done!”

“Oh-! Smells really nice. The scent might travel outside the kitchen.”

“It probably is already.”

At the open door of the kitchen, Mina’s face can be seen.

“That’s dirty. She’s drooling.”

“She’s panting for some reason.”

She’s probably desperately trying to sniff the hamburg steak. I could hear her breathing in and out hard.

“That’s a hyena… she’s aiming for leftovers.”

“I don’t know what a hyena is, but I get you. Those are eyes of a wolf.”

“Let’s leave that alone.”

“Right. It’s not sugar, so it should be alright.”

Ignoring Mina’s licking gaze, Bartholo and I prepared to eat the hamburg steaks.

“Hauu.”

In the middle of the sounds of tableware being set, there was something like a weakened dog’s whine.

I can’t hear anything. It’s a hallucination.

“Now, let’s eat, Bartholo!”

“O-Ou.”

Bartholo seemed to be bothered by Mina’s gaze, as he answered uncomfortably.

“Mn, delicious. This is hamburg steak.”

Neither too tough nor too soft. The heat got through to the centre properly, with the meat turned a nice brown shade from red. A deep meaty juice flowed out from there.

“Amazing—, the meat’s soft. Plus, this meaty juice……”

Bartholo savoured the meal while running his mouth.

“Hawawawa”

How long is Mina going to be here? What about work.

“No problems here. Why don’t we make more as practice.”

“Ou, let’s get to it right away. It should be nice with cheese!”

“Wow! Bartholo, you’re sharp. I recommend cheese. And instead of onions, you can put in carrots or mushrooms.”

We nodded to each other.

“So—, what about this remaining hamburg steak?”

“………!”

Bartholo pointed at the hamburg steak left in the frying pan.

Right. Since I have to taste more for Bartholo’s practice, I can’t eat too much.

If I eat more here, as a six-year-old, my dinner will be impacted.

If it’s Bartholo, one more shouldn’t make a different. However, Bartholo was conscious of the door.

“Stare—……”

“Kiddo, can I give it to Mina? I can’t have dinner if I have more. Share some to Mina.”

“Fuwaa!”

At the part, ‘to Mina’, a cheer rose from the door.

“Alfried-sama, can I have this?”

“Sure.”

“Thank you very much—!”

Mina’s face turned into like that of a blooming flower.

She took her hand off the door and waited for Bartholo as he served the hamburg steak on a dish.

In her hands, there already was a knife and fork, properly prepared.

“Hamburg? Hamburg?”

Hyena-san, good thing you stuck around for a long time.

“Here.”

Mina received the dish of hamburg steak with vegetables from Bartholo.

This time, there’s no sauce.

Mina stared at the hamburg steak with teary eyes and slowly took in the smell.

“Haa—…… the smell is enough to make me happy.”

“Then, you don’t need it anymore?”

“That’s not true! ……Please excuse me.”

“Y-Yeah. Sorry.”

Mina held the knife and fork in her hands and got ready to eat the hamburg steak.

The knife slowly approached the meat.

“There’s a good smell—? Did you make it, Al? Can you give— me— some?”

Oh no! A monster was lured in by the hamburg steak.

“Fueh? My hamburg steak disappeared!”

“Eleanora-oneesama. Today’s main menu is hamburg steak.”

“Eh—! No way—!”

I snatched Mina’s hamburg steak and presented it to the person that should be prioritised the most. Of course, I must not forget the knife and fork.

Sorry Mina. This is how the world works. People below are exploited by the people above. What a cruel world.

“Waa—! Looks delicious! I’ll have it with Elna-kaasan.”

“I’ll be happy if you let me hear your impression later.”

“Yeah—. Thank you as always.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

You can go. With a hand gesture meaning that, Eleanora-neesan went out of the kitchen.

“Sorry— Mina. It was taken by Eleanora-neesan.”

“……Uuuuuuu.”

Mina dejectedly cast down her eyes. It was a bit like a dog that had its food taken away, so it was a little cute.

“You’re really quick to change.”

“Because I’m a noble. But before I’m a noble, I’m a little brother… I’m a little brother.”

It was important so I said it twice.

“I’ll be making Hamburg again, so wait.”

Bartholo laid a hand on Mina’s cowering shoulders and smiled. To me, it felt as though I saw his teeth shine.

“Yes, I’ll wait!”

The mood feels nice. Why don’t you two get together. Both have some age and are singles, right?

“Hey Mina, how long are you going to skip work?”

Maybe looking for Mina, Mel came into the kitchen.

“Ah! Mel-san!”

“It’s not, ‘Ah! Mel-san!’ How long are you going to play? You haven’t even finished cleaning to hallways.”

“Eh? No, but, now……”

“No buts! Let’s go.”

“Eh? Wait! Ah! Hamburg————!”

Mina’s sleeve was grabbed by Mel and she was dragged away.

“A—ah. I’ll call once it’s done.”

“Really? Promise—!”

With that as the last words, the two left the kitchen.

That day, in the end, Mina couldn’t have her hamburg steak.

Eleanora-neesan and Elna-kaasan came. It seems like they liked the hamburg steak, so there was no way any would be left for Mina.