套四宝是开封的传统菜肴,堪称“豫菜一绝”。“套四宝”绝就绝在集鸡、鸭、鸽、鹌鹑之浓、香、鲜、野四味于一体,四只全禽层层相套,个个通体完整,无一根骨头。每当酒席宴会上过几道菜之后,这道菜便用青花细瓷的汤盆端上,展现在食客面前的是那体形完整、浮于汤中的全鸭。其色泽光亮,醇香扑鼻。当食完第一层鲜香味美的鸭子后,一只清香的全鸡便映入眼帘;鸡肉吃后,滋味鲜美的全鸽又出现的面前,最后又在鸽子肚里露出一只体态完整,肚中装满海参丁、香菇丝和玉兰片的鹌鹑。一道菜肴多种味道,不肥不腻,清爽可口,回味绵长。套四宝属衙门派,制作精细,色香味形十分讲究,制作时费工费时,技术不过三硬不行,火候掌握不好也不行最复杂的是剔骨,全神贯注,犹如艺术雕刻。以颈部开口,将骨头一一剔出,个个原形不变。有的地方虽皮薄如纸,但仍得达到充水不漏。剔骨后将四禽身套身、腿套腿,成为一体。套四宝始创于清末开封名厨陈永祥之手,陈曾为慈禧太后办过“御膳”。陈家名菜达300多种,“套四宝”属其的一颗明珠,目前由陈景和三兄弟继承祖业,将此菜发扬光大。
Kaifeng Enveloped Four Treasures
Kaifeng Enveloped Four Treasures is a traditional dish which is praised as a unique in Henan cuisine. The most special characteristic lays on its combining four animals together: chicken, duck, pigeon and quail. These four animals are enveloped one by one without breaking their bodies and at the same time without any bones. When we eat this dish, first we can see a whole duck lying in the first layer, then is the whole chicken, pigeon and quail one by one. And come to the last layer, lumps of trepang, shreds of mushroom and dried slices of tender bamboo shoots are filled in the internal of quail. Thus, only one dish can make us appreciate multiple flavor and the same time they are all very fresh, dainty, fat but not greasy. Kaifeng enveloped four treasures is an official food, which has extremely careful making skill and higher demands on the degree of fire and winkling out of bones. In order to remain the original shape, cooks must winkle out bones from their necks and then envelop four animals one by one. It’s said that this delicious dish stems from ChenYongxiang in Kaifeng, who had ever been in charge of the imperial meal for Empress Cixi at the end of Qing Dynasty. Among over 300 kinds of famous dishes in Chen family, enveloped four treasures is the best one, which nowadays has been carried forward by Chen Jinghe and his two brothers.