What’s your favourite Chinese dish? I can’t seem to narrow it down to just one but wor wonton soup and pork dumplings are definitely at the top of my list. I also enjoy dim sum with its array of steamed buns, rice rolls and dumplings. But today’s Pork Char Siu was made in preparation for wor wonton soup, which is soon to follow!! Wor, meaning “everything” in Chinese means the soup can be made with any combination of your favourite foods such as broccoli, baby bok choy, or shrimp. I personally believe that Pork Char Siu is a must to include. The sweet and salty meat is great together with the broth and vegetables and helps to make the soup a meal on its own.
While wor wonton soup is one of my favourite ways to use Pork Char Siu, it’s also great in fried rice, ramen, or sliced and served with extra sauce over rice. Heck, cold pork buns are great too! The cooked pork freezes well in an airtight container for up to two months. Having three cooked pieces gives you Pork Char Siu for at least three meals if frozen separately. It makes for easy weeknight meals when you’re short on time and energy. Enjoy!
Trim pork shoulder of excess fat and cut lengthwise into 3 even pieces. Place pieces into a sealable bag.
Whisk together 3 tbsp of honey and the remaining ingredients. Pour marinade over pork and seal bag. Lay bag flat on a small tray or shallow baking pan and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, flipping at least once.
Preheat oven to 325°F and place rack in the middle. Line a baking tray with tin foil and parchment. Drain marinade into a shallow skillet and place pork onto the baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes, turn pork and continue baking for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tbsp of honey into the marinade and reduce over medium-high heat until it coats the back of a spoon, about 7-8 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Generously baste pork with sauce and bake for 10 minutes. Turn pork, baste and bake for 10 minutes.
Turn oven to broil and remove parchment paper from under the pork to the clean tin foil beneath (see notes). Baste pork and broil for 1-2 minutes, turn pork, baste and broil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from oven, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
-I used a food colouring paste, more food colouring may be required if using the liquid variety.-Lining the pan with tin foil and parchment is important because the sugary drippings from the pork tend to burn when broiling. Removing the parchment gives a clean surface for broiling.
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I absolutely love hot, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip. It’s something I can dig into and truly be a little pig about. So today’s post is a riff on one of my favourite dips made into gnocchi casserole form. This will likely be my last warming and hearty casserole of the season because it’s time to think spring…and I’m definitely okay with that. But in the same breath, I didn’t want you to miss out on this wonderfully cheesy and saucy Spinach and Artichoke Gnocchi Gratin.
If you’re not familiar with gnocchi, they are essentially little dumplings often made with mashed potatoes or ricotta cheese. Very simple to make, they cook in minutes and they can take on whatever sauce you want to toss them in. A classic sauce is a butter and sage sauce, but your favourite family meat sauce would be great too. The cheese lover in me can’t help but smother the tender little dumplings in a luscious Gruyere cheese sauce. Enjoy!
Tips for great gnocchi:
Don’t overwork the dough and mix only until combined. This will prevent too much gluten development in the flour.
The grooves are not necessary, however, they help the dumpling hold the sauce. It only takes a few extra minutes to roll each piece over the tines of a fork or gnocchi board.
Cook gnocchi in gently simmering water and only cook until they start to float to the surface. A rapid boil is a little too rough for the tender gnocchi.
Gnocchi can be made and cooked ahead of time. Simply chill or freeze in a single layer on a large baking tray. Once they are frozen they can be stored together in a sealable bag or airtight container. If chilling, cover and use within 2 days.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, ricotta, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in flour until dough starts to come together.
Scoop dough onto a floured work surface and knead gently for a few turns until dough is smooth. Shape into a round disk, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes for the flour to hydrate.
Cut dough disk into 4 equal portions and roll eat portion into an approximate 15" log. Cut each log into 3/4" pieces, dusting lightly with flour as you go to prevent sticking.
Roll each piece across the tines of a fork or gnocchi board, sprinkle with flour as you go to prevent sticking. Dust a large baking tray with flour and lay formed gnocchi in a single layer on the tray. Sprinkle with flour, cover and keep chilled until ready to use.
Sauce
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until combined. Slowly add 1 cup of hot milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Repeat with remaining milk, adding it gradually and stirring until smooth after each addition. Once all the milk has been added, bring to a gentle simmer to ensure flour has thickened to its capacity. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer and preheat oven to 350°F.
Remove the sauce from heat and stir in half of the Gruyere cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once the cheese has melted stir in spinach and chopped artichokes.
Gently add gnocchi to the simmering water. Cook until all the gnocchi float to the surface which will only take a few minutes. Remove with a slotted scoop to a towel-lined tray to remove excess moisture. Immediately add gnocchi to the sauce and stir gently to combine.
Divide between 4 oven-safe individual cocotte dishes or ramekins that will hold a minimum of 1 1/2 cups. Divide remaining Gruyere cheese evenly over tops and place on a foil-lined baking tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly. Turn oven to broil to lightly brown the tops for about 2 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving as they are very hot.
Recipe Notes
A single casserole dish can be used instead of individual cocotte dishes if desired.
It's important to add the cooked gnocchi immediately to the sauce as they will start to stick together if left to sit for too long.
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