Asian Pork with Noodles

I realize this is like the millionth recipe I've posted, but I've just been trying so many new dishes. I noticed a couple weeks ago that I'd kind of gotten in this rut of cooking the same 2 weeks worth of entrees, so I decided to make a dent in my Cookbook Library, as well as start cooking some of the many recipes I've torn out of so many magazines. This is one such dish. I took this slow cooker recipe from Claudia Sidoti out of the November of '09 Food Network Magazine. It's Asian Pork with Noodles and I highly suggest trying it yourself. The flavors all work so well together, and the taste is phenomenal.

Ingredients:

• 3lbs. Boneless Pork Shoulder
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Dry Sherry
• 1/4 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar (I used light brown)
• 2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Star Anise Pods (I skipped these)
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 5 Cloves Garlic, Smashed
• 1 Two Inch Piece of Ginger, Peeled and Sliced
• 6-8 Whole Dried Shitake Mushrooms
• 1 lb. Soba or Ramen Noodles (I had Somen noodles on hand so I used those instead)
• 1/4 Cup Water Chestnuts Sliced (I forgot these)
• 2 Fresno Chile peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (skipped these as well)
• 2 Scallions, Sliced
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro

Step 1: Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium high heat with the vegetable oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 6- 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate

Combine the broth, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, star anise, and cinnamon stick in a 5 quart slow cooker.

Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the garlic and ginger.

Add the mushrooms. (I put the mushrooms in whole. Some people think the stems taste bitter and therefore don't use them. I think they taste fine after being cooked, but are just a little tough compared to the rest of the mushroom- just personal preference.)

Add the pork, cover and program to cook 4 hours on high, then 2 hours on low (what I did), or 6 hours total on low. What it looks like before...

And then after. Transfer the pork to a platter, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Remove the mushrooms from the broth and halve them, then return to the broth. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salter water to boil.

Cook the noodles as the label directs.

Slice the pork. Divide the noodles among bowls and top with some of the broth and mushrooms and a few slices of pork. Garnish with water chestnuts, chiles, scallions, and cilantro.

Enjoy!