NOVEL NEXT Chapter 105.1
Plump And Tasty Fresh Cod Roe Pasta
“I feel like eating cod roe pasta…”
Yuuri murmured this while glaring at the contents of the fridge, trying to decide what to have for lunch. Suddenly, the craving hit him—a desire for cod roe pasta. It was truly out of nowhere. Perhaps it was because he still had plenty of cod roe left, purchased as a side dish for rice when he bought some fish earlier. The large cod roe, with its plump and slightly crunchy fish egg texture, was exquisite. Last night, it had paired excellently with white rice.
And so, cod roe pasta it was.
Yuuri personally loved it, but in this region, where eating fish eggs wasn’t a common practice, cod roe often went unnoticed. Or it was treated as a snack to accompany alcohol rather than as a dish to be eaten with rice. Recently, he had made taramo balls (a mix of cod roe and potatoes), which seemed to have introduced cod roe to a few curious individuals. Even so, dishes featuring cod roe were still rare. Perhaps it would have been different if they were closer to the sea, where it was more abundant.
“Alright, cod roe pasta it is.”
As an otomen, Yuuri was unwavering when it came to decisions like these—swift and resolute. He had his reasons. Today, he was eating lunch alone. Although there was always someone assigned as a supervisor to stay at the base, Ali, who had that role today, had some errands and told him he wouldn’t need lunch. Since he was dining alone, Yuuri decided he could eat whatever he liked.
…What? Doesn’t he usually choose his meals as he pleases? Well, yes, that’s true. But he does try to consider others’ preferences when cooking, especially when he’s not eating alone.
And so, Yuuri decided to make cod roe pasta for himself. He thought the leftover salad and soup from breakfast would be sufficient side dishes for a solo meal. Though he loved cooking, sometimes it was nice to have something simple and easy. In this case, the focus was less on simplicity and more on the satisfaction of eating what he wanted.
“Cod roe, cod roe, coooood roooe~”
Humming a little tune, Yuuri placed the cod roe from the fridge onto the cutting board. He planned for a slightly generous portion, in case he wanted seconds. If there were leftovers, they could be eaten at dinner or someone else might snack on them in the evening—such was the fate of food in Scarlet Lynx. Was this really okay for an adventurer training guild?
Setting that thought aside, Yuuri halved the cod roe with a clean slice down the middle. Whether it was the sharpness of the knife or his cooking skills, the roe split perfectly in two. He carefully separated the contents from the skin into a bowl using chopsticks. With a smooth pull, the eggs slid neatly into the bowl, leaving the skin behind—which promptly found its way into Yuuri’s mouth. A bit salty, but delicious.
Next, he prepared room-temperature butter. Why was this ready? He had originally planned to have bread for lunch and prepped it earlier. It was room-temperature butter, not melted—important because hot butter would cook the cod roe.
Yuuri’s preferred cod roe pasta did not involve cooking the roe. It wasn’t grilled cod roe, nor mixed into a cream sauce. The focus was on enjoying the roe fresh, according to the Kugimiya family’s traditional recipe. This was home cooking, so no need to overthink it.
Yuuri mixed the softened butter and cod roe carefully with a spatula. Too much pressure would squash the roe, so he was mindful of his touch. While some might add mayonnaise at this point, Yuuri was a butter-and-roe purist. To his, mayonnaise overpowered the delicate flavor of the roe.
“That looks about right.”
Once the butter and roe were combined, he prepared to boil the pasta. Since it was just for him, a large pot wasn’t necessary. He boiled water, added a pinch of salt, and cooked just enough pasta for one (well, maybe a bit more). Humming all the while—being alone made him prone to humming.
Draining the pasta, he tossed it immediately into the bowl with the roe and butter while it was still hot. The heat helped the butter melt and coat the pasta. If it seemed too dry, a drizzle of olive oil could be added to prevent clumping. But usually, the butter and roe mix alone sufficed.
The golden pasta was streaked with pink from the roe, creating a visually appealing dish. Despite the heat, draining the pasta beforehand ensured the roe remained half-raw—perfect for Yuuri’s preferred style.
Yuuri plated the pasta into a deep dish and prepared the salad and soup to go with it. Today’s drink was herb-infused water—chosen purely on a whim. For garnish, chopped shiso leaves, nori strips, or daikon sprouts would have added a splash of color, but since he had none, he sprinkled some dried parsley for visual appeal. It was his meal, so there was no need to fuss.
“Itadakimasu.”
After moving everything to the dining table, Yuuri clasped his hands together for a brief pre-meal prayer before picking up his fork. He started with the salad, having heard somewhere that eating vegetables before carbs aids digestion. A simple vegetable salad sprinkled with good-quality rock salt—its crisp texture and rich flavor were delightful. Simple truly was best.