SWNOVELXO Chapter 75.1
An Easy Lazy Bread Gratin With Leftover Bread
That day, seeing the leftover ingredients in front of him, Yuuri decided to take it easy. Today’s lunch was just for him and Frau. Yuuri usually cooks meals for a dozen people, and since he loves cooking, it’s never a burden. It’s not a burden, but sometimes, he wants to make a quick and easy meal. Also, he just craved a dish that came to mind using the ingredients in front of him. …No, maybe that’s the main point. Yuuri generally cooks whatever he feels like eating. Thanks to that, dishes he’s not fond of never appear. …Spicy food or dishes that are heavy on alcohol are a no-go for him. Spicy food aside, the problem with dishes that have too much alcohol is that he can’t taste them—after all, he’s underage. The amount of alcohol used in cooking should be just enough for flavor. (However, steamed dishes with alcohol are an exception.)
In front of Yuuri were a hardened baguette, leftover corn potage soup from the morning, and leftover vegetable salad. The main challenge here was the hardened baguette. It was tough to even bite into, so some effort would be required to eat it. With that in mind, Yuuri began cutting the tough baguette into bite-sized pieces on the cutting board with a firm hand. Meanwhile, the corn potage soup was gently warming on the stove, being careful not to let it boil. Yuuri kept cutting the baguette into bite-sized pieces, though it felt more like pressing down than cutting. It might even be closer to scraping. The hardened baguette was indeed a formidable foe.
“…From now on, I’ll prioritize eating baguettes sooner.”
Yuuri muttered to himself as he finally finished the laborious task of cutting through the tough bread. That seemed like the wise thing to do. Baguettes are hard to begin with, and after a few days, they become even harder—so much so that cutting into them feels like a chore. Realizing that he had been neglecting it in the back of the pantry, Yuuri knew this was his own fault, which is why he was working hard to cut it today.
Once the baguette was cut into bite-sized pieces, he tossed them into the pot of soup. He just kept tossing them in, making sure they were submerged. Pushing them down to fully soak in the soup, almost embedding them. He simmered it over low heat until the baguette absorbed the soup and softened. He was eager for it to soak through quickly.
In the meantime, he took out two heat-resistant deep dishes. Then, he began preparing the cheese, which was an important part of this dish. Since he usually buys cheese in large blocks, he needs to cut it into suitable sizes. This time, he sliced it thinly—after all, it needed to melt. In modern Japan, pre-shredded pizza cheese that melts easily is available, but in this other world, he had to slice the block cheese himself.
“Is it ready yet?”
He poked at the baguette submerged in the soup with chopsticks, and the tip sank in softly. Satisfied that the bread had absorbed the soup and softened, Yuuri began spreading the baguette pieces across the bottom of the gratin dish. He filled the dish until you couldn’t see the bottom, then ladled the soup over the bread, just enough to cover it like a sauce. But he didn’t drown the bread in the soup.
Then, Yuuri spread the thinly sliced cheese over the bread and soup mixture, making sure to cover it completely. As the cheese began to slightly melt from the heat of the bread, he slid the dish into the oven. Everything was already cooked, so all that was left was for the cheese to melt. A quick heat in the oven, and it would be done.
While waiting, Yuuri plated the leftover salad onto two dishes with raised edges. Luckily, there were still some tomatoes left from breakfast, so the colors were fine. Today’s dressing was a light mix of olive oil, salt, pepper, and powdered herbs, with a bit of lemon and orange juice for a refreshing touch.
Once the cheese melted, he took out the deep dishes and sprinkled some colorful powdered parsley over the gooey cheese. The green of the parsley stood out beautifully against the pale yellowish-white cheese. And thus, the lazy, leftover bread gratin was done.
“Frau, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Oh, thank you. I’m always leaving it to you; sorry about that.”
“No, no, this is my job after all.”
When Yuuri informed Frau, who had been waiting at the table, she apologized apologetically. But Yuuri just shrugged it off. It was true—Yuuri was in charge of cooking and chores at the hideout in exchange for his basic needs. To be frank, while apprentices and trainees were required to contribute financially to the clan, Yuuri did not have to do so. …Well, in exchange, he wasn’t paid for the housework either.
This arrangement was something Yuuri and Ali discussed, and they agreed that Ali—rather, the clan—would cover the basic living expenses while Yuuri didn’t pay for living costs. It was a sort of barter system. And since Yuuri wasn’t struggling financially thanks to side jobs and recipe royalties, he accepted the arrangement. Honestly, since cleaning, laundry, and cooking were more like hobbies for him, it would feel awkward if they started paying him for it. …Unless he were a professional housekeeper, of course. That’s how Yuuri saw it.
“So, what’s for lunch today?”
“I made it from leftovers, so I’m not sure if it’s to your liking.”
“If you made it, Yuuri, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“You’re too kind.”
In front of Frau was a bread gratin made with leftover baguette and a salad with olive oil dressing. The drink was simple: chilled water. On a warm day like today, nothing tasted better than cold water from the fridge.
The sweet aroma of corn potage soup and the sizzling sound of melted cheese on the gratin plate were tantalizing. Frau tilted her head, curious about the unfamiliar dish, but she looked happy.
“Is this cheese?”
“Yes. I soaked the leftover baguette in this morning’s soup, added cheese, and baked it in the oven. It’s a sort of bread gratin.”
“A ‘sort of’ gratin?”
“That’s how I see it. A real bread gratin takes a bit more effort.”