Whether you tried it in-store at Butter Surry Hills and want to learn how to make it for yourself or simply love to cook new things, this drool-worth dish will not miss. Thankfully, Butter Co-Owner and Executive Chef, Julian Cincotta, has generously shared the intel on how to make his incredible limited-time Fried Chicken French Dip Ramen Sandwich so you can slurp on it long after the venue is done serving it. Read on to find out all the juicy details on how to whip it up using Westgold at home—and thank us (and Julian) later.
Ramen
Ingredients:
Ramen Base
5L Water
150g Hondashi powder
1kg Chicken wings
100g Dried shiitake mushrooms
40g Kombu tsyuy
20g Mustard powder
1 Brown onion
1 Leek
30g Ginger
1 Bulb garlic
1 Bunch green shallots
Westgold Butter
Tare
500g Chicken wings
150g Sake
100g Mirin
250g Light soy sauce
Condiments
Toasted sesame seeds
Chilli oil
Toasted nori
Ground white pepper
Green shallots
Noodles (you can use either fresh or frozen noodles—it’s up to you!)
Method:
Tare
1. Use a cleaver to chop the wings into five pieces. You want to cut through the flesh and bone. Roast the wings in a pan at 180°C for 25 minutes until golden. Don't worry about overcooking it, this step is for an infusion and the meat will be discarded.
2. Once the wings are dark golden in colour, pull the tray out of the oven and deglaze the tray with the sake. Scrape any crusty bits stuck to the pan and return to the oven for two mins to burn off the alcohol. Then add mirin and soy and leave to the side to infuse. Let sit for two hours.
3. Strain the tare through a fine sieve and reserve—this is your umami bomb. Once ready to serve, this will be combined with your ramen broth.
Ramen base
1. Put chicken wings in a roasting pan with roughly chopped leek, garlic, ginger, green shallots and onions. Roast at 220 degrees for 18 minutes.
2. Bring the water to a simmer. Add your roasted chicken wings, vegetables, hondashi powder, dried (crushed) shiitake mushrooms, kombo tsuyu and mustard powder into the water. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn down the heat and let simmer for three hours, stirring periodically to ensure all ingredients break down and become mashed together to extract all of the flavours.
4. Taste the ramen base broth, if it has a chicken/fish (from the base dashi) aromatic tone, then the stock is ready. If not, reduce it a little further.
5. Once the stock is ready, strain through a large-hole colander, pushing out all of the liquid and reserving it. Discard all remaining meat and veggie pulp.
Noodles
For the noodles, you can buy fresh ramen noodles in the freezer section in most good Asian supermarkets. They usually come in thick or thin, choose your favourite. Prep these as per packet instructions, just before compiling your ramen.
Note: noodles are best slightly undercooked, as they finish cooking when you pour the hot broth over them. The broth also soaks into the noodles giving a desirable texture.
Condiments
Ramen has no rules, you can use any type of condiments you like. All the condiments you need are readily available at good-quality Asian supermarkets. Our favourites are toasted sesame seeds, chilli oil, salted bamboo shoots, enoki mushrooms, toasted nori, ground white pepper, narutomaki (fish cake), green shallots, katsuobushi salt and Westgold butter.
Serving
1. Before serving, boil your kettle and pour water into your serving bowl to warm the bowl up. Discard the boiling water, then place 30ml of tare, add your cooked noodles, and pour 250ml of broth per bowl over the noodles. Using chopsticks, untangle the noodles so they lay nicely—no one likes clumpy noodles!
2. In your serving bowl, place the noodles in the bowl and pour the ramen broth over the noodles. Using chopsticks, untangle the noodles so they lay nicely—no one likes clumpy noodles!
3. Add your condiments on top (the butter is essential) and enjoy!
The Dippin’ Burger
Everyone has their own flavour and their own way to build an ideal burger but if you are strapped for ideas, try this one on for size.
Ingredients:
4 x 150g Chicken thigh fillets with skin on
1 Packet Butter flour spice mix
4 x Round milk buns or potato buns (any bun will work)
Sliced pickles
Westgold Butter (room temp to spread)
Pot of oil or portable deep fryer to fry the chicken
Method:
1. Salt your chicken thighs with white salt, wrap and store in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
2. Heat your oil in the pan/pot to 175 degrees.
3. Place flour in a medium deep tray to flour the chicken (you want some height so the chicken can be shaken to coat).
4. Take your chicken thigh fillets out of the fridge, dip them in water and then add to the flour mix.
5. Shake the tray so they get covered in the flour. Make sure chicken fillets are flat and not curled up so the coating is all over it.
6. Carefully pull the chicken out of the flour and put it straight into the hot oil for four to five minutes until cooked. Once ready, let rest on a cake rack with a tray under for the coating to set and any excess oil to drain off.
7. Place buns in a plastic container with the lid on and microwave for 15 seconds to steam them.
8. Place buns on the bench and liberally lather Westgold butter on both sides. Add four slices of pickles to the bottom of the bun.
9. Place chicken on top and close the bun. You are now ready to butter on butter! Dip in your Westgold ramen dip.
Want to try it from the experts? You can slurp on a serve at Butter Sydney for a limited time from Monday, 24 October till Sunday, 6 November. For more information, head over here.
Editor’s note: this article was produced in partnership with Westgold. Thank you for supporting the partners who make Urban List possible. To read our editorial policy, click here.
Images: Harri Gilbert.