Ben the Butcher in Balwyn, Victoria | Speciality food shop

Ben the Butcher

Locality: Balwyn, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 9836 4975

Address: 399 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn 3103 Balwyn, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.benthebutcher.com.au

Likes: 741

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• Butchers shop
• Speciality food shop
• Deli

24.01.2022 Full disclosure we struggled to find the motivation for this week’s WDSNW feature. It was a combo of ferrying kids around, the mid-week slump and a lack of preparation But I find the best response to the a case of the CBFs is frittata! Also, thanks to our friends, the Cotterells, and their epic vege patch, we had some massive zucchinis at our disposal. What’s great about frittata, apart from its sheer deliciousness, is the ability to cram enough vege in there to make an e...ntire classroom of kids scream in terror! Spinach? gross! I hate zucchini! Ahhhh! But the second they bite into that eggy, cheesy goodness, the greenery becomes tolerable and, eventually, welcomed into the permitted ingredients list. Here’s the recipe, but feel free to add whatever’s in your fridge. Just make sure the vege has a similar cooking time so the kids don’t freak out over hard bits. 1 zucchini, grated and with excess moisture removed 6 eggs 1 cup grated tasty/cheddar cheese Chopped fresh parsley Chopped fresh spinach Finely diced onion Salt and pepper Grated parmesan Diced ham/chopped sliced ham Grate the zucchini and wring out excess moisture in a paper towel. You don’t have to go nuts here just give it a bit of a pat down. Grate the cheese and chop the remaining vege and ham and combine in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and seasoning and combine. You should have a fairly sturdy mix. Pour into an oven-proof frypan, sprinkle with grated parmesan for extra crust and fry with a bit of olive oil for about 5 minutes. The aim here is to get the party started. Transfer into a heated oven and let it bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffed up. Remove from the oven and let it sit in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a cutting board and cut away. Serve with salad if you like. It also goes well with tomato relish. Other protein options that work a treat are smoked chicken breast, smoked salmon or bacon.

22.01.2022 What an absolute belter of a day. Autumn, you can stick around! There’s still plenty of time to drop in and grab something for dinner. We’re closed Monday for the public holiday, so maybe grab a bit extra! Have a safe long weekend. See you next week!

15.01.2022 The short sharp circuit breaker didn’t deter our home cooking efforts. Ben even began this week’s WDSNW’s feature in our commercial kitchen because it falls under the category of work. Thanks to inspo from Island Grocer, we gave master-stock-poached chicken a go. It was delicious and the whole master stock thing is really interesting. It’s a staple in Chinese kitchens and the same batch is used repeatedly for poaching meat, which intensifies the flavour. You simply strain it ...after each use and freeze it for next time. Here’s the recipe we used. 1.5L chicken stock 125ml Soy sauce 125ml Chinese cooking wine 8 Cloves garlic Large thumb ginger 2 Lemongrass sticks 2 Cinnamon sticks 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds 1 Tbsp Fennel seeds 3 Tbsp Brown sugar 1/2 Tbsp Chinese five spice 4 Star anise 4 Cloves 1/2 Orange peel Method: In a stock or large pot, gently toast the spices. Add garlic, lemongrass and ginger. Next add the brown sugar and Chinese five spice and let it cook out a bit. Finally, add the liquid and simmer for at least two hours if you’re using pre-made chicken stock. When you’re ready for dinner poach skinless chicken thighs for about 30 minutes. Serve with whatever takes your fancy - we went for green beans and chickpea fettuccine. The master stock is now safely tucked away in the freezer for next time. It’s definitely a winner winner!

11.01.2022 So many meal possibilities in one window! There’s still plenty of time to swing by and pick something up for dinner. Have a great weekend!

05.01.2022 Dates. They’re the ingredient of choice in this week’s WDSNW dinner. Ben arrived home with a fist full of them and proclaimed his intention to include them in the lamb ragu. It gave it a bit of a Moroccan spin and was rather moreish. Sadly the kids didn’t agree, managing only to extract the pasta out from underneath.

01.01.2022 What’s for dinner? We’re big fans of a thin-sliced rump steak. Have it with a simple salad and dollop of English mustard on the side. Just make sure you let it rest before slicing! Easy and delicious.