The Chili Cook-off Part 3
Jul. 16th, 2007 07:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zephyr_macabeeHarry's in the kitchen with Severus:
Harry had only intended to rest his eyes for a few minutes, but the next thing he knew it was nearly six o’clock. He splashed his face with cool water and tried to tame his hair before going in search of Sirius and his hosts. Entering the living room he saw Remus and Sirius seated out in the courtyard with a pitcher of some red beverage on the table between them. Sirius noticed Harry and waved at him to come out, but Harry heard someone in the kitchen and decided to investigate there first.
He found Severus rummaging through a large, stainless steel refrigerator. He had donned a black T shirt and sandals and his jeans were covered with a chef’s apron. He had clipped his braids together at the back of his head to keep them out of his way.
“Is there anything I can do?” Harry asked, looking around at the clean, spacious room. This was nothing like Petunia Dursley’s cramped kitchen. Gleaming pots hung from a rack suspended from the ceiling by chains. Bottles of spices were arrayed on the wall near the big gas range, close at hand for the chef. Fresh herbs sprouted from pots lined up on top of the half wall dividing the kitchen from the dining room.
Severus emerged from the fridge with a chunk of ginger root in his hand. He had been going to refuse any assistance, but Harry seemed sincere.
“I am going to make a chicken stir-fry and I need some vegetables cut, if you want to help. If you would like something to drink, I have lemonade, soft drinks and butterbeer in here.”
“What are Remus and Sirius drinking?”
“Sangria, it's red wine with a touch of brandy, mixed with sliced fruit and sweetened with honey, served on ice."
“Ugh, that doesn’t sound very good.”
“It is an acquired taste. It can be nice on a hot day.”
“I’d like some lemonade please.”
Severus poured him a tall glass before finding him an apron and setting him up at the center island with his own cutting board and cleaver. As he handed Harry a bunch of celery, he described the dish they were working on.
“It's Chinese in origin, with chicken and vegetables quick-cooked in a wok.” He pointed at a large round-bottomed frying pan waiting on the range. “I make a simple sauce right in the wok and serve the dish over steamed rice. It takes almost no time to cook, so we have to do all the preparation ahead of time. The vegetables have to be cut so that the pieces are similar in size, then they will all cook at the same rate.” He showed Harry how he wanted the vegetables cut. “Celery, carrots and bamboo shoots are cut into matchstick size pieces. For the peapods all you need do is pull the strings like so. I will mince the garlic and ginger and slice the water chestnuts and shitakes.”
Harry set to work and the vegetables were soon correctly chopped. Severus retrieved the boneless chicken breasts from the refrigerator where they had been marinating all day. He drained the meat and sliced it into thin strips. Finally all the ingredients were prepared and lined up beside the range.
Harry laughed. At Severus’ questioning look he said, “It reminds me of potions class.”
“It is much the same thing. Careful preparation generally ensures a good result. Your final dish is only as good as your ingredients. Accurate measurements are important, but thoughtful experimentation may produce an unexpected and desirable end product. In my opinion, Molly Weasley’s chicken soup is the greatest healing potion known to wizardom.”
Harry agreed, having received the benefit of that potion often enough himself. As Severus lit the gas burner and put the wok over the flame he asked Harry about the past two years of potions classes at Hogwarts.
“Did you like Professor Sanderson?”
“Yes, we all did, even Malfoy, maybe especially Malfoy.”
Severus thought there must be a story there, but Harry continued on.
“She has a very different style from yours.”
“You mean she does not routinely threaten your lives or the lives of your pets?”
Harry laughed a little uncertainly. “Well, yes, classes tended to be much less dramatic with her, Professor Snape.”
“Call me Severus, Harry; I am not your professor any longer. I think you understand that part of that was camouflage, since I had to teach the children of Death Eaters who would have carried home the news if I had shown any favoritism to you or your friends. But part of it was my own unpleasant nature and my long-nurtured anger at your father. For that I apologize; it was very badly done of me.”
Harry stared at Severus, open-mouthed. “Thank you Professor, I mean Severus, and I want to apologize too, for my rudeness and lack of effort in your class. I realize now that you were trying to teach me things without the other students realizing what you were doing, but I was too angry at you to listen or understand. Hermione had to explain a lot of things to me.”
“Ah, Miss Granger, I owe her an apology as well. She reminded me too much of myself. I’m afraid I was an insufferable know-it-all too.”
“I will be writing her. You could include a note if you like.”
“I’ll do that, thank you Harry.” Wiping his hands on the towel hanging from his apron he offered his right hand to Harry. They solemnly shook to confirm the mutual apology.
Harry then favored Severus with a blinding smile. “Are we ready to cook now?”
“We are. The wok is hot, so in goes the peanut oil and then the garlic and ginger.”
The aromatics hissed and spit in the oil as the vegetables and chicken followed them into the pan. Severus kept the food moving with a big wooden spatula.
“I can see where it gets the name stir fry.”
Severus put a lid on the pan and turned down the heat while he mixed together some soy sauce, sherry and oyster sauce. Into the wok went the mixture. A few minute more and he added cornstarch dissolved in water.
“This will thicken the sauce. Two more stirs and we’re done.”
He pulled the wok off the stove and poured its contents into a large serving bowl. Another bowl was filled with steamed rice and dinner was ready. They carried the bowls to the dining room table.
“Call Remus and Sirius in, Harry, tell them dinner is served.”
To chapter 4
http://zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com/27453.html
He found Severus rummaging through a large, stainless steel refrigerator. He had donned a black T shirt and sandals and his jeans were covered with a chef’s apron. He had clipped his braids together at the back of his head to keep them out of his way.
“Is there anything I can do?” Harry asked, looking around at the clean, spacious room. This was nothing like Petunia Dursley’s cramped kitchen. Gleaming pots hung from a rack suspended from the ceiling by chains. Bottles of spices were arrayed on the wall near the big gas range, close at hand for the chef. Fresh herbs sprouted from pots lined up on top of the half wall dividing the kitchen from the dining room.
Severus emerged from the fridge with a chunk of ginger root in his hand. He had been going to refuse any assistance, but Harry seemed sincere.
“I am going to make a chicken stir-fry and I need some vegetables cut, if you want to help. If you would like something to drink, I have lemonade, soft drinks and butterbeer in here.”
“What are Remus and Sirius drinking?”
“Sangria, it's red wine with a touch of brandy, mixed with sliced fruit and sweetened with honey, served on ice."
“Ugh, that doesn’t sound very good.”
“It is an acquired taste. It can be nice on a hot day.”
“I’d like some lemonade please.”
Severus poured him a tall glass before finding him an apron and setting him up at the center island with his own cutting board and cleaver. As he handed Harry a bunch of celery, he described the dish they were working on.
“It's Chinese in origin, with chicken and vegetables quick-cooked in a wok.” He pointed at a large round-bottomed frying pan waiting on the range. “I make a simple sauce right in the wok and serve the dish over steamed rice. It takes almost no time to cook, so we have to do all the preparation ahead of time. The vegetables have to be cut so that the pieces are similar in size, then they will all cook at the same rate.” He showed Harry how he wanted the vegetables cut. “Celery, carrots and bamboo shoots are cut into matchstick size pieces. For the peapods all you need do is pull the strings like so. I will mince the garlic and ginger and slice the water chestnuts and shitakes.”
Harry set to work and the vegetables were soon correctly chopped. Severus retrieved the boneless chicken breasts from the refrigerator where they had been marinating all day. He drained the meat and sliced it into thin strips. Finally all the ingredients were prepared and lined up beside the range.
Harry laughed. At Severus’ questioning look he said, “It reminds me of potions class.”
“It is much the same thing. Careful preparation generally ensures a good result. Your final dish is only as good as your ingredients. Accurate measurements are important, but thoughtful experimentation may produce an unexpected and desirable end product. In my opinion, Molly Weasley’s chicken soup is the greatest healing potion known to wizardom.”
Harry agreed, having received the benefit of that potion often enough himself. As Severus lit the gas burner and put the wok over the flame he asked Harry about the past two years of potions classes at Hogwarts.
“Did you like Professor Sanderson?”
“Yes, we all did, even Malfoy, maybe especially Malfoy.”
Severus thought there must be a story there, but Harry continued on.
“She has a very different style from yours.”
“You mean she does not routinely threaten your lives or the lives of your pets?”
Harry laughed a little uncertainly. “Well, yes, classes tended to be much less dramatic with her, Professor Snape.”
“Call me Severus, Harry; I am not your professor any longer. I think you understand that part of that was camouflage, since I had to teach the children of Death Eaters who would have carried home the news if I had shown any favoritism to you or your friends. But part of it was my own unpleasant nature and my long-nurtured anger at your father. For that I apologize; it was very badly done of me.”
Harry stared at Severus, open-mouthed. “Thank you Professor, I mean Severus, and I want to apologize too, for my rudeness and lack of effort in your class. I realize now that you were trying to teach me things without the other students realizing what you were doing, but I was too angry at you to listen or understand. Hermione had to explain a lot of things to me.”
“Ah, Miss Granger, I owe her an apology as well. She reminded me too much of myself. I’m afraid I was an insufferable know-it-all too.”
“I will be writing her. You could include a note if you like.”
“I’ll do that, thank you Harry.” Wiping his hands on the towel hanging from his apron he offered his right hand to Harry. They solemnly shook to confirm the mutual apology.
Harry then favored Severus with a blinding smile. “Are we ready to cook now?”
“We are. The wok is hot, so in goes the peanut oil and then the garlic and ginger.”
The aromatics hissed and spit in the oil as the vegetables and chicken followed them into the pan. Severus kept the food moving with a big wooden spatula.
“I can see where it gets the name stir fry.”
Severus put a lid on the pan and turned down the heat while he mixed together some soy sauce, sherry and oyster sauce. Into the wok went the mixture. A few minute more and he added cornstarch dissolved in water.
“This will thicken the sauce. Two more stirs and we’re done.”
He pulled the wok off the stove and poured its contents into a large serving bowl. Another bowl was filled with steamed rice and dinner was ready. They carried the bowls to the dining room table.
“Call Remus and Sirius in, Harry, tell them dinner is served.”
To chapter 4
http://zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com/27453.html
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-07-18 07:06 pm (UTC)And they shook hands! OMG! Maturity does occasionally appear in the male of the species. Mind, I somehow think it won't be too permanent. (At least where Severus is concerned!?)
See you after The Read.
I'm going to hibernate as well. Too many killjoys in the world.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-28 03:54 pm (UTC)I will be getting back to our boys after my vacation in NH.