October 10th, 2010
Mu Shu Pork Casserole
I have always loved mu shu pork, it was the one dish my family could agree upon ordering at what I thought was the best Chinese restaurant where I grew up. Stricken by nostalgia (or just a massive craving for Americanized Chinese food), I went back to that restaurant a few weeks ago and ordered the mu shu lunch special for the first time in years. Sadly, it was nothing like the mu shu I remembered (quite edible, but certainly mediocre). I like to think this is attributable to a recent change in ownership, but who knows. Have you ever gone back to a restaurant years later and found it was different than you remembered?
On a totally unrelated note, isn’t Savoy cabbage beautiful? This is my pictorial ode to Savoy cabbage:
Recipe
Despite my recent mu shu let-down, I was pretty excited when I saw this recipe. HC took issue with the pancake batter topping in the original recipe, and suggested I substitute a crispy phyllo crust with the leftover frozen phyllo dough from the chicken and date pastilla I made awhile ago. Good call, HC.
The prep work includes a whole lot of chopping, so sharpen your knife and plan for some prep time. I’m going to remember the cornstarch tip for future stir-fry recipes, as the pork browned perfectly and turned out tender. However, this could also be a delicious vegetarian dish if you omit the pork and add a few extra veggies.
I do recommend using up phyllo dough asap after you open it, as it was almost too brittle to work with after a few months in the freezer. It wasn’t the most beautiful crust, but luckily it still cooked into flaky layers with a nice crunch. If you have leftovers, heat them up in the oven to keep that crispy topping.
Mu Shu Pork Casserole
Filling adapted from Real Simple
Prep time + Cook time = 40 minutes + 30 minutes
Serves 8Ingredients
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 lb boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
1 small head Savoy cabbage, shredded
2 medium carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 package phyllo dough
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp sesame seedsDirections
1. In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Pat the pork dry with a paper towel and slice into 1/4 inch strips. Place in a bowl and toss with the cornstarch.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
4. Add the remaining canola oil to the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cabbage, carrots and water chestnuts and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved sauce, reserved pork, cilantro and half of the scallions, and stir to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove skillet from heat.
5. Transfer mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish and preheat oven to 350F.
6. Layer a sheet of the phyllo dough over the casserole. Brush with a thin layer of olive oil and sprinkle with a few scallions. Repeat layers until you have used all of the phyllo dough. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with sesame seeds.
7. Bake until the phyllo dough is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
