舌尖上的航海丨第4集 “十全十美”的海上年夜飯

“鄱陽湖”號(hào)和“洪澤湖”號(hào)是對(duì)姐妹遠(yuǎn)洋貨船。幾年前，同時(shí)下水遠(yuǎn)航，噸位，馬力，船型同出一轍，是海上罕是的“孿生姐妹”。

這天，十分湊巧，舊歷除夕前夜，兩艘船同時(shí)仃靠在美國的西雅圖港。

“鄱陽湖”號(hào)大廚楚雄和“洪澤湖”號(hào)大廚秦淮是當(dāng)年廚師學(xué)校的“同窗好友。

倆人都烹調(diào)一手好菜，楚雄出身淮北，精通徽菜。秦淮來自江蘇，江淮菜是“行家里手”。

姐妹船在國外相遇十分難得，又趕上即將到來的除夕之夜。兩船商定，除夕之夜，共進(jìn)晚歺，并以”十全十美”的菜名做頓”海上年夜飯”。

做菜容易冠名難。倆人約定：各自準(zhǔn)備十幾道菜，每道菜冠己數(shù)字，從“一”開始朝下排列，而且都是“家喻戶曉”的名菜。

倆人雖說出身廚師學(xué)校，達(dá)到”規(guī)定“要求還真有些難度！

楚雄和秦淮為不辜負(fù)大伙的期望，找資料，查網(wǎng)站。終于在除夕前夜，一切準(zhǔn)備就緒。

除夕當(dāng)天，太陽剛剛噙山，船員們陸續(xù)來到“洪澤湖“號(hào)的大臺(tái)（歺廳）。

在新春鑼鼓聲中，楚雄首先登場(chǎng)，端出一盆菜，並興致勃勃地介紹說：“一品豆腐”！

人們放眼望去；雪白鮮嫩的豆腐浸泡在飄著冬菇，筍片，姜末的湯里，發(fā)出誘人的鮮香！”豆腐富有元固醇，可邦助代謝人體里內(nèi)的膽固醇，海員應(yīng)該經(jīng)常食用！”

楚雄邊說邊喊大家品嘗。

一陣嘖嘖稱贊聲中，秦淮不緊不慢地端上一盤黑白分明，閃著晶瑩油花的小妙：“燒二冬！”。

大伙還未緩過神來，秦淮一板一眼地說；“《燒二冬》主料是冬菇和冬筍。冬菇有菌中之王的美稱，冬筍制干又稱南參。俗話說，好事成雙，兩種營養(yǎng)佳品，即清脆爽口，又富有繕食纖維和微量元素。大伙千萬別忘了常吃它！”

第一回合不分上下，大伙對(duì)倆位大廚的精心準(zhǔn)備和黙契配合報(bào)以熱烈的掌聲。

人們期盼著第三道菜亮相。

這時(shí)，船上的“春節(jié)晚會(huì)”開始了。在一陣歡快的音樂聲中，“鄱陽湖“號(hào)船長捧著一盆熱騰騰的菜從廚房走出來：”《三合菜》，春節(jié)之際，祝偉大祖國合諧富強(qiáng)，各位家庭合諧美好，全船上下合諧共濟(jì)！“

人們邊鼓掌邊朝菜盆里望去，盆內(nèi)翠綠的蔥白和蛋清上，正齊地?cái)[放著魚丸，肉丸和肉糕。

楚雄介紹說：“魚丸先由魚制成茸，肉丸和肉糕全是上等的豬腿肉，具有滋補(bǔ)健胃功效，是地道的徽菜！”

誰知，楚雄的話音剛落，秦淮臉常微笑從廚房走了出來：“四喜丸子！”

“四喜丸子！”頓時(shí)歺廳里一片喊聲：“這道菜，年夜飯家里都有！“。

“對(duì)！”秦淮接著說：“四喜代表福，壽，祿，禧，預(yù)示閤家團(tuán)園。從廋肉為主料，油炸七八分熟放入高湯清蒸而成?！?/p>

此時(shí)，歺廳里的氣氖越來越高漲。人們還未來得及品嘗“四喜丸子”，楚雄手舉著大盤，吆喝著閃亮登場(chǎng)：”五柳魚！”

楚雄將菜盤朝歺桌上一擺，頓時(shí)鮮味逼人。只見一條大魚擺在盤中，魚兩側(cè)一字形劃開；蒜蓉，姜沬，鮮菇絲，筍絲，火腿絲，紅辣絲五柳勾芡散落魚背上，一簇鮮嫩的香菜點(diǎn)涰在魚背上。

楚雄高聲喊道：“這是道北京名菜。相傳魚背上五顏六色的絲紋，形如柳葉，故稱《五柳魚》，是官廷御菜之一?！?/p>

人們飲著酒，品嘗著年夜飯的美食，幾盤菜很快吃光了，卻不見秦淮出場(chǎng)。

正當(dāng)人們盼望之時(shí)，《洪澤湖》號(hào)船長身著“廚師服”，手捧一個(gè)大盤子，急步從廚房趕了出來：“對(duì)不起，烤并躭誤了點(diǎn)時(shí)間?！?/p>

隨著走出來的秦淮接了句：“六角旋并！”

“對(duì)，六角旋并！“《洪澤湖》號(hào)船長提高了嗓門說：“這是典型的西北名吃，是經(jīng)過精心制作的六角形烤并。外焦里軟香脆可口。六角代表《六六大順》。新春之際，我代表《洪澤湖》號(hào)船員，祝願(yuàn)《鄱陽湖》號(hào)全體兄弟們，新的一年一順百順！”

歺廳里的掌聲和歡呼聲，劃破了寂靜的大西洋夜空，傳的很遠(yuǎn)很遠(yuǎn)：”祝祖國繁榮富強(qiáng)！”，“祝全國人民幸福安康！”此起彼伏。

誰知，正當(dāng)高潮之中，楚雄卻沒有及時(shí)亮相：“第七道難道擱淺了？”

正當(dāng)人們議論紛紛時(shí)，楚雄和一名水手抬著一個(gè)大飯筒，晃晃悠悠從廚房走出來：“八寶飯來嘍！”

這時(shí)，一個(gè)船員突然站了起來：“這是上海年夜飯里必備的甜點(diǎn)！”

“說的對(duì)?！背蹞嫌信d趣地說：“八寶飯是用糯米，核桃仁，密錢，葡萄干，密棗，青梅，糖玫魂，豆沙八種食材加上白糖和豬油做成的。密棗醒目甜密，香糯脦而不厭。”

人們爭(zhēng)先恐后地將“八寶飯”盛到自己碗里。

船員在茫茫的大洋里吃上這頓別開生面的“年夜飯”，十分開心。人群中只有一位望著桌上的飯菜發(fā)呆。他是“洪澤湖”號(hào)上的輪機(jī)長，身高馬大，患有高血壓。望著歺桌上的大魚大肉和甜奌直搖頭。

“洪澤湖”號(hào)船長望了一眼，連忙朝廚房喊了一聲：“上菜！“

“來嘍！“秦淮應(yīng)聲而出：“九層塔煎茄子?！?/p>

這是道專門為“素食客“準(zhǔn)備的年夜菜。

這是一道用紫茄制做的素菜：茄子切成薄片，先用油煎軟，然后兩面均勻撒上椒鹽，疊成九層塔型墩放盤中，最后淋上辣椒未和鹽爆香的勾芡，形味俱佳。

“洪澤湖“號(hào)輪機(jī)長頓時(shí)眉開眼笑，大口吃起來。

這時(shí)，電視機(jī)里的新年鐘聲響了。

“鄱陽湖”號(hào)船長和“洪澤湖”號(hào)船長，倆人雙手捧著一個(gè)碩大的盤子，來到歺廳中間：“素什（十）錦！”

這是一道全部用素菜烹調(diào)的傳統(tǒng)名菜：木耳，蘿卜，筍絲，豆腐干，白菜，香菇，黃花菜，綠豆芽，豌豆苖，豬腿肉十樣煸炒而成，是廣泛被推薦的年夜菜！

楚雄和秦淮此刻忘記了忙綠和疲勞，共同舉杯，大聲喊道：“祝兩個(gè)姐妹船兄弟，在新的一年《十全十美》！”

《海上年夜飯》在一陣掌聲和歡笑聲中結(jié)束。

事后，人們問起兩位大廚為何配合如此默契時(shí)，“洪澤湖”號(hào)船長笑著說“為準(zhǔn)備這頓特殊的海上年夜飯，兩位大廚一夜未合眼！“

The Poyang and the Hongze are sister ships. Both are cargo ships

designed to travel far distances, both are named after famous lakes in

China, and both set sail at the same time with the same tonnage,

horsepower, and model, making them rare “twin sister” ships.

Coincidentally, both ships also docked at Seattle Harbor at the same

time on one Chinese New Year.

The Poyang’s head chef, Chu, and the Hongze’s head chef Qin were also

close friends who attended culinary school together. The two of them made

delicious meals for the sailors on board their ships, even though their

culinary styles were very different. Hailing from different parts of China,

they highlighted the specialities of their hometowns in their cooking. Chef

Chu was from Huabei, so he was proficient in preparing traditional Anhui

cuisine, while Chef Qin put an emphasis on Jianghui dishes from his

hometown in Jiangsu.

It was uncommon for sister ships to meet abroad while sailing different

voyages, and a chance encounter on Chinese New Year made the occasion all

the more a cause for celebration. The crews of the two ships decided to

spend Chinese New Year together and have a gigantic feast, complete with

ten unique and exquisite dishes.

Putting together a memorable meal for the sailors was an easy task for

the two skilled chefs, but giving their dishes special and festive names

was difficult. The two chefs agreed to prepare ten dishes altogether, and

the name of each dish had to make reference to a number, allowing the

finished meal to be “a perfect ten”.

To live up to the expectations of their crews, Chu and Qin rummaged

through cookbooks, studied the websites and blogs of celebrity chefs, and

finally got ready to prepare a once-in-a-lifetime Chinese New Year feast

for the sailors.

Just before sunset, the entire crews of the twin sister ships gathered

on the Hongze’s Grand Terrace to commence their feast.

To the sound of traditional Chinese celebratory music, Chef Chu entered

the terrace first. He held onto his dish carefully and cried out

enthusiastically, “The First Admiral’s Tofu!”

All the crewmen instantaneously turned their gazes to the dish: glowing

pieces of snow-white tofu were soaked in a thin broth, with assorted

vegetables and pieces of ginger decorating the plate, filling the sea air

with an irresistible aroma. Tofu is full of protein and fiber and could

help lower cholesterol levels in the body, making it a nutritional favorite

for Chinese sailors.

The crewmen couldn’t help themselves and took their first bites before

Chef Chu could even finish talking. As they launched into applause, Chef

Qin walked confidently onto the terrace carrying a plate of glistening

black and white vegetables, and announced, “The Two Sides of Winter!”

As the sailors got ready for their second course, Qin continued, “The

main ingredients of The Two Sides of Winter are mushrooms and asparagus. In

Chinese, these two ingredients are called “winter mushrooms” and “winter

asparagus” respectively, because they are believed to be able to grow in

cold climates. Both are commonly used in Chinese medicine, as they are not

only delicious but are highly nutritious, too. Please enjoy this dish, and

as the saying goes, ‘Good things come in pairs’!”

Qin’s second course, like the one before it, was once again met with

applause. The sailors tried to hold down their excitement as they tasted

the dish and looked forward to the next one.

In the Chinese culture, Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is

the largest festival of the year. No matter where the sailors are in the

world, they always put on an exuberant celebration for the holiday. This

year was no different - as the music got louder and as the men began to

dance, the captain of the Poyang himself appeared from the kitchen and took

out the next course: “This course is named ‘The Romance of Three

Delicacies’! This dish symbolizes peace and prosperity for our hometowns,

families, and our crews!”

The sailors cheered for their next course, which incorporated emerald

pieces of spring onion and soft egg whites, with meatballs and fish laid

out on top.

Chef Chu explained, “The fish was freshly caught and cut into thinly

shaved pieces, and the meatballs are made from locally sourced pork. This

is a crossover between cultures - foreign ingredients arranged according to

a refined Anhui recipe!”

The sailors wolfed down their fourth course, and the chefs’ cooking

was starting to pick up speed. As soon as Chef Chu finished his

description, Qin carried out the next course with a shining grin across his

face: “Four Walls of Happiness! Or, ‘Si Xi Wan Zi’!”

“‘Si Xi Wan Zi’!” The crew repeated, “Our families make this

recipe every single Chinese New Year!”

“Exactly!” Qin replied, “The Four Walls of Happiness refers to

fortune, longevity, wealth, and happiness, and together the four walls

represent reunion and family, like a round and juicy meatball! I used lean

meat for the meatballs and fried them for seven or eight minutes before

steaming them in broth.”

With a familiar dish in sight, the crew became even more exhilarated.

Before they even had time to make a dent in the fourth course, the fifth

was already on its way. Chef Chu held his plate up high and shouted, “The

Fish with Five Tails!”

The fragrance of the fifth course was swiftly compelling for the

soldiers. Chu set down the plate on the table, and though the fish itself

didn’t really have five tails, it was garnished with five spices and

ingredients: garlic, ginger, shredded mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and slices

of ham, scattered near the tail of the fish and creating the illusion of

five fishtails.

“This is a famous dish from Beijing,” Chu introduced, “According to

a folk legend, the colorful pattern at the back of this fish was shaped

like a willow leaf, and the fish was appropriately named ‘the Fish with

Five Tails’. This dish was only served in the imperial court in ancient

times.”

The crew poured wine into their glasses and steadily enjoyed their

Chinese New Year feast. They had almost finished all the courses served so

far, but Qin had yet to appear with the next course.

Finally, as the sailors were about to lose hope, the captain of the

Hongze appeared in a chef’s uniform. Holding a large bowl, he said,

“Sorry for the delay!”

Qin followed after him and presented: “The Hexagonal Pancake!”

“Yes - the Hexagonal Pancake!” The captain echoed. He cleared his

throat and carried on, “This is a classic snack from Northwestern China, a

baked hexagonal pancake that takes a lot of focus and precision to get

right. It’s crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, and since six is

a very auspicious number in China, the six sides represent harmony and

smooth voyages. On this special occasion, I, the captain of the Hongze,

would like to wish our brothers on the Poyang a pleasant and harmonious

year!”

The crewmen of the Hongze raised their glasses to toast their brothers

from the Poyang. The crews from both ships spread their well wishes to one

another, “Here’s to the prosperity of our hometowns!” some bellowed,

while others cheered, “Here’s to the health and happiness of all our

people!”

Though the celebration was well underway, Chef Chu was nowhere to be

seen. Some sailors joked, “Did our seventh course sink under the ocean?”

As the crew speculated, Chef Chu and a helpful sailor lifted a large

pan from the kitchen and hurried to the Grand Terrace. “The Rice of Eight

Treasures is here!”

Suddenly, one crew member stood up and shouted, “This is an essential

dessert for Chinese New Year!”

“Correct!” Chu responded in satisfaction, “The Rice of Eight

Treasures is made with glutinous rice, walnuts, candied fruits, raisins,

dates, green plums, dried roses, and bean paste as its eight ingredients or

‘treasures’, mixed with sugar and oil. This rice is especially sticky and

sweet, but not too dense or heavy.”

The seafarers rushed to scoop some rice into their bowls. To be able to

have such a grand Chinese New Year feast as they floated on the ocean away

from home, made the sailors extremely content and cheerful. Nevertheless,

there was one sailor among them who stared blankly at the rice without

taking a single bite. It was none other than the captain of the Hongze

himself, who was tall and muscular, but suffered from high blood pressure.

He shook his head at the sugary rice, and hoped for something more

palatable.

The Hongze Captain gazed at the direction of the kitchen and shouted,

“More courses, please!”

“Coming!” Chef Qin said back. “Nine Layered Eggplants!”

The Nine Layered Eggplant was a famous course for health-conscious

sailors and vegetarians. The eggplant was first cut into fine slices, then

stir fried in an iron pan. Qin sprinkled pepper and salt on the sides of

the plate, stacked the eggplant like a tower with nine layers, and drizzled

a sauce made with minced chilli pepper to add some color and taste to the

dish.

The Captain of the Hongze’s eyes lit up at once. A smile quickly

returned to his face as he took large bites of the eggplant.

In China, a special TV program is aired every Chinese New Year, and

this year, the crewmen of the Hongze and the Poyang were lucky enough to be

able to watch the special celebration on TV a few thousand miles away from

home. As the countdown to Chinese New Year rang out on television, the

captains of the Hongze and the Poyang walked to the kitchen side by side,

carried out a giant pot, and set it down in the middle of the table. “Ten

Assorted Vegetables!” They presented together.

This dish is also made with famous traditional ingredients: tree

fungus, radish, bamboo shoots, dried tofu, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms,

cauliflower, bean sprouts, peas, and pork shank. The vegetables and meat

are sauteed together, making it a popular choice in many families for

Chinese New Year.

Despite spending an entire night in the kitchen, conjuring up

distinctive meals and composing creative monikers for their dishes, Chef

Chu and Chef Qin didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, they lifted their

glasses and proposed a toast to the seamen: “We hope that the crews of our

twin sister ships have a wonderful Chinese New Year, complete with ten

perfect dishes!”

The two ship crews’ ‘Nautical Chinese New Year Feast’ ended in

cheers and applause.

Ever since that night, whenever anybody asked how Chef Chu and Chef Qin

worked so amicably and effectively with one another, the Captain of the

Hongze always chimed in and said, “These two chefs are so dedicated, that

they didn’t sleep a wink on Chinese New Year just to prepare a special

Nautical New Year’s feast for our crews!”