Finding My Special Ingredient

Chapter 8- Soma's Shokugeki

3rd person's pov

In the RS, all of them were tired and out of hope, sitting or even laying around. 'I've tried every recipe they had that showed any promise and tweaked and adjust every one of them in every way I could think of. But there has to be another way. Another way to make a real impact while still using inexpensive beef.' Soma thought as he sat on a chair, thinking his brains out. Just at that moment, Aika walk in, seeing two people just practically soulless while another one was concentrating too hard. 'It seems that he hasn't found what I was talking about yet. Oh well, it was in the radar but a bit unexpected that till now he hasn't thought of it.' Aika thought as she went to her usual place without anyone noticing, which was actually pretty easy. "Soma-kun, why don't you take a break? Once you have recharged I'm sure you'll be able to find a breakthrough, just like you did in our first class together." Tadokoro said with a smile on her face at the end of her sentence. "Oh, that. You mean the time I used honey to tenderize the beef, right?" Soma said as he look at her. When he did, he saw a book in her hand which was title 'Japanese Steak Bowls' which made him thought of something which led to him suddenly holding Tadokoro by her shoulder which she squeak at. (A/N: That is a lot of 'which' in one sentence. Probably the most I had so far...) 

"S-Soma-kun?" Tadokoro said as she blush from the closeness of Soma and her. "Thanks, Tadokoro. There is one. I just remember a way to take an average cut of meat and give it some impact. Konishi senpai, I don't care if it's sirloin, rump or whatever but do we have any steak cuts left?" Soma said as he turn to ask Konishi the question, not seeing how impossibly red Tadokoro is. "Steak? But we just tried Japanese Steak Bowls earlier. What could we have missed?" Konishi said, confuse on what was going on. 'Seems like Soma-kun finally know where to start now. Once his creativeness comes, it just keeps on coming. The only downside of him is his mouth and probably his eagerness. That would probably be his only weakness, he nearly was not able to pass because of his big mouth after all...' Aika thought as she anime sweat drop. "First we put some shallow cuts in the meat like a grill like pattern. Then, we pound it until it's thin. Next we cover both sides in minced onions and let it sit." Soma said as he put the meat one side. 'Covering the meat with onion? I think I have read about that somewhere...' Konishi thought as he dig through his memories. 

"Okay, now we scrape off the onions and season the meat with pepper and salt. After searing the steak, we melt a dollop of butter in the same frying pan and caramelized the minced onions in the juices left from the meat, melding the two flavours together. After they are done, we cover the whole top of the steak with the caramelized onions and use the back of a knife to put the grill pattern back into the meat. Put it all on top of some cooked rice, and it's done!" Soma said as the outcome look rather plain though. 'The looks doesn't matter as much as the aroma though. The aroma right now is very good, Soma-kun qualify on making that right but did he somehow made it addicting? This might just be a good enough match for Tsukasa senpai to watch. After all, If Tsukasa senpai is not please with the Shokugeki then I'm as good as done for.' Aika thought as she thought of all the ways of how she was going to be embarrass if Soma embarrass her in front of her senpai. "Now I remember! This is a Chaliapin Steak!" Konishi said as he look at the food Soma has create. Chaliapin Steak was created in 1936, specifically for visiting opera singer, Feodor Chaliapin. Bothered by a toothache, the singer requested a dish with 'tender steak'. This was the result of that very day. Accordingly, it is a uniquely Japanese steak, unknown to the rest of the world.

"Okay, taste it you two. Aika, you as well." Soma said, scaring them as they turn around to see Aika coming over from her table. As they all take a bite, Tadokoro and Konishi was shock by the tenderness of the steak. "Whoa. Now this is tender. I can cut it just using my chopsticks and when I take a bite, it practically melts in my mouth!" Konishi said as he puts another mouthful into his mouth. "Onions have enzyme in them which breaks down protein, just like honey and pineapple do. That's why the steak is so tender. You would never believe this was a cheap cut of meat. It's savoury flavour fills the mouth with each bite and there's no knocking the combination it makes with the rice either. Who would have thought of using a steak grilling technique on a beef bowl." Konishi said as he gaze at Soma which was now interacting with Tadokoro. 'Still, is it enough to top off Nikumi's steak bowl?' Soma thought to himself as he gulp his saliva. 'It's good, but not good enough. I know enough about A5 meat to know that with the current Don Soma-kun just made won't be able to top it off...yet. Soma-kun, what would you do now?' Aika thought as she put down her chopsticks after one bite and walk off to Eishi's office. "What? You're going to tweak it even more?" Tadokoro said as she look at Soma, worried. "Yeah. See these mince onions? With these, I can take the sauce that will crown this bowl, and morph it into something incredible." Soma said as he scatter the mince onions onto the board.